Warning Letter
by TheStrangerThatCameFromNowhere
Summary: Shortly after stealing Madarame's heart, the Phantom Thieves receive a request from Sayu Yagami that leads them into the Palace of perhaps their greatest target yet.
1. Thieves VS God, Part I

" _I will become the God of this new world!" -Light Yagami, "Death Note"_

* * *

 **WARNING LETTER**

* * *

Sayu Yagami knew for the longest time that her brother, Light, was a genius. Actually, calling him a genius would be insulting. She wasn't sure what word she could use to describe Light, aside from being smart and handsome. He obviously had inherited their mother's looks back when she was younger, if the photographs that hung on the wall meant anything.

From a young age, she loved her brother dearly. When their mother had passed away, it was up to Light to take care of her. Their father was always home late, either because he was so busy with work or because he was assigned to a dangerous case. Her earliest memories had always been about Light, being the one taking care of her.

Sayu knew that her brother had trouble with his newfound position, forced to take care of her by himself. Sometimes, she wondered if Light hated their father. One time, she even asked him, but Light answered that he didn't. Even though he worked tirelessly and was almost always at work, he knew that his work was important, but he still loved his children all the same.

After all, he always made sure to make time for them on holidays, on his days off and on their birthdays.

Even so, Sayu often wondered if, maybe, the stress of remaining at the top of his class and taking care of him was starting to take it's toll. It's been small little signs, but every now and then, she would catch Light acting a bit... _off._ Sometimes, she'd catch him in his room, talking to someone that wasn't there or glaring at a spot where there was nothing. Just a wall.

And the copious amount of apples. Last time she checked, he was never really into fruit. Especially not to this level. Really, why was he buying them by the basket full these days?

At first, she tried to mention it to her father, Soichiro, but she was never entirely sure how to go about it. For all she knew, she could just be exaggerating. It didn't change the fact that Light was starting to suffer. At some point, she told him to try and take it easy, telling him that she caught him staring at the wall like he saw something there. She didn't know why, but for some reason, Light looked started and maybe a bit shocked.

"Okay." he told her with a charming smile. "I'll cut back on the studying."

After that, she caught him glancing at something from the corner of his eye. Something that she couldn't see.

Sayu wondered if maybe she should tell her brother to go the doctor, if he really was seeing things?

During all of this, people had been talking about the deaths that were happening all over the world. Suddenly, criminals were dying of heart attacks, one after another. Being the daughter of a detective, especially the current Police Chief, she knew that it couldn't possibly be coincidence. Especially if what she was hearing was right. People were saying that someone called Kira was responsible for it all. When she looked them up online, all she found was occult nonsense, but there had to be something that established all that nonsense, right?

Thinking on it, Sayu wondered if this was her father's current case. On those lines, she grew worried for him. They had lost their mother, and she didn't dare think what could happen if they were to lose their father next.

Other than Kira, however, she was hearing about another group. Unlike the deaths of criminals, this one was more low key. The only reason she even started to hear about it was because of her classmate Kagami-kun.

 **Sayu – The Phantom Thieves of Hearts?**

 **Kagami – Yeah. I heard about them online. You heard about that teacher who confessed to sexually harassing and abusing his students, right? Supposedly, he had his heart stolen by them.**

 **Sayu – How is that even possible? Stealing a person's heart… Did they brainwash him?**

 **Kagami – I don't know, but they have their own website. The Phantom Aficionado Website! Did you want me to send you a link?**

 **Sayu – Huh? Why?**

 **Kagami – A lot of people send requests for the Phantom Thieves to steal people's hearts, or "take their distorted desires" as they claim. You said that your brother was acting really weird, right?**

 **Sayu – Hold on! You're not suggesting that I ask them to take my brother's heart, are you?**

 **Kagami – Hey, I'm not saying he's a criminal or anything! I'm just saying, maybe the Phantom Thieves can take away his stress. Here. I'm sending you the link.**

Sayu looked at the website after Kagami-kun provided her the link. Looking at the forums, she saw that there really were people asking them to steal people's hearts, posting names and all. It was kind of scary, but it also made her wonder why nobody has heard about them yet. Or rather, why the news hasn't reported about them yet. If they were capable of this, it was strange why they haven't been made public.

Maybe they just wanted to remain anonymous?

Recently, however, Sayu has been going to the request forum, mindlessly just looking at what people asked the Phantom Thieves to do. So many people with so many wishes, so many hearts that they claimed were distorted.

Her eyes focused on the text box at the bottom. Words were already typed out on it, but she hesitated. She wanted to believe that whoever she heard in Light's room was not her brother. She desperately wanted to believe that wasn't he brother she heard in there, screaming like a lunatic.

But she was the daughter of Soichiro Yagami. She looked at things much in the same way he did, even if she didn't fully understand it. As she looked at the text box, she thought back on her view of Light. Her darling brother who could arguably be considered to be her father figure whenever Soichiro was absent. Light was kind and caring with grand dreams, wanting to attend the police academy after he graduated so he could become a detective.

What she heard in his room during that announcement… It sounded like her brother, but it couldn't possibly have been him. It couldn't.

Sayu stared at the text box again, biting her lip as she bowed her head. Then, after a long period of silence that lasted for hours, she pressed [post].

"Please, bring him back..."

* * *

CHAPTER 01: Thieves vs. God, Part I

* * *

Ren Amamiya stared out the window listlessly, bored out of his mind while he listened to Ushimaru give the class the same lecture he's heard at least a few times before coming to Shujin Academy. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ushimaru wind up his arm and tense, refusing to allow his body to move, even when he saw the chalk go flying straight at him.

In a second, the chalk struck his forehead, causing his head to reel in pain while he rubbed it. "Eyes at the front, Amamiya!" the old war hawk bellowed. "Are you even paying attention?!"

"In my own way..." Ren replied meekly, earning a few laughs from the students around him. Up front, Ann Takamaki giggled, shooting him a small look of amusement, which he returned with a sheepish smile.

"You could have dodged that, you know." Morgana quipped from inside his desk, poking his head out. "Also, your phone went off."

Ren silently thanked Morgana and took out his phone. Sure enough, there was a message.

 **Mishima – Hey, Ren! We need to talk after school! Meet me at the stairs!**

The curly-haired teen raised an eyebrow. It was short, but straight to the point. Usually, Mishima would be raving on and on about a new request that was posted on the Phan-site. The fact that it was written like that made him curious.

Tucking his phone away, he patently sat through the rest of the lecture, all the while pretending to listen to Ushimaru's lectures. Honestly speaking, though, he was bored out of his mind. If he wanted to, he could _teach_ this class.

Then again, who'd want to take lessons from a delinquent with a criminal record?

* * *

 _ **TAKE YOUR TIME**_

* * *

Yuuki Mishima was waiting by the stairs as he said he would, though Ren could tell that he was anxious. He was shifting from one foot to another with an uneasy expression, staring at his phone, likely the new request he had in mind. When he heard someone approaching, the blue-haired fan boy looked up and found Ren walking toward him.

"There you are!" Mishima cried, only to quiet down when he noticed how loud he sounded and wince, noting the odd stairs he was getting. Ren tilted his head. "Sorry 'bout that. Kind of nervous. Someone posted this new request, and, well… I thought it was better if I showed you in person."

"What is it about?"

"That's..." Mishima sucked in a breathe, running a hand through his hair. "Okay, so, you saw what happened on the news yesterday, right? About how Kira tried to kill that detective guy?"

He didn't just see it, he's been hearing about it. All over Shujin, everyone was talking about Kira and L's battle of wits, with the unseen killer continuing his crime spree and the detective working with the police, trying to catch him. It was something to behold, but a small part of him felt a bit disappointed that any and all talk about the Phantom Thieves in Shujin was now pushed away in favor of a battle between a cop and crook. That would change once Madarame confessed his sins, or so he hoped.

"Well, ever since, there's been a ton of talk on the Phan-site forums." Mishima said in exasperation. "And I mean, a _lot_! People have been asking the Phantom Thieves to either go after L or Kira. Seriously, it's insane. Let me tell you, keeping track of all those requests is a pain in the ass. But, there was this one request that sounded really weird. I thought it was best I showed it to you."

Mishima held out his phone, allowing Ren to read it. It was a request, but something about it made him feel uncomfortable.

" _ **I need to talk to the Phantom Thieves, or at least someone who knows them. I think…"**_

The rest filled him with disbelief as he raised an eyebrow, looking at Mishima, who seemed to share his sentiments. "It's one of the weirder ones I've seen, but something about it just..."

He understood his friend's dilemma. On the one hand, it seemed like just another joke, but on the other hand…

Ren looked at Morgana, who nodded. "Let's call the gang up."

* * *

 _ **TAKE YOUR TIME**_

* * *

"...looks like a joke to me." Ryuji Sakamoto scoffed as he read the request, clearly not believing a word of it. "I mean, really? _I think my brother is Kira_?"

"The way it's written has me concerned." Yusuke Kitagawa offered his thoughts. "They're asking a meeting with us. And the timing of the request only makes me even more worried."

Ann nodded. "Yeah..." she said shakily, looking down at the ground. "I still can't believe what happened. How-how does that even happen? Killing someone with a heart attack, I mean?"

"Does it have anything to do with the Palace?" Ryuji asked.

Sitting on the railing, Morgana shook his head. "I doubt it." he said, shooting down the idea. "Based on our successes so far, one of two things happen in the Palace when you confront the Shadow. Either A, you take their treasure and they reform, or B, they're killed and suffer a mental shutdown."

"It's still eerie." the resident painter of the Phantom Thieves shook his head. "To be able to kill someone with a heart attack. I hope whoever this Kira person is doesn't go after Madarame."

That had been a chilling thought on Ren's mind, ever since he began hearing about Kira. With his apparent stance on criminals, what would happen to Kamoshida in prison? When he thought about that, he developed a knot in his stomach, fearful of what would happen. The man may have destroyed whatever chance he had of a normal life at Shujin, on top of being a horrible individual, but even he didn't deserve to die.

Ann looked at Yusuke with sad eyes. Even though he had seen Madarame's true face now, he still cared about his father figure. "Well..." She rolled her shoulders and looked at Ren. "What do you suggest, Ren-kun?"

Mulling it over, the frizzy-haired teen gave his answer. "We'll talk with them." he answered. "The way it's word doesn't seem right."

"I agree." Yusuke nodded, folding his arms. "And besides, we can always use the Metaverse Navigator to see if they have a Palace or not."

"I dunno..." Ryuji still seemed unconvinced. However, as the decision had already been made, he instead shrugged his shoulders and went along with it. "But whatever. So, did they say where they wanted to meet?"

"Big Bang Burger." Morgana quipped. "Mishima's already making the arrangement. You know, on the off chance this is actually legit, we might have found a bigger target than Madarame and Kamoshida put together."

"Indeed." Yusuke nodded. "If the person of subject truly is Kira...then we would be dealing with a full-fledged murderer."

"Man...now I'm anxious." Ryuji grimaced. "Plus, the guy can kill you without having to be there. I don't know about you guys, but I'm kind of scared shitless right now."

A sentiment shared by everyone present. However, there was still no real guarantee that they were actually Kira, but the idea was both terrifying and tantalizing all at the same time. To make Kira confess his crimes and reveal his methods would surely land them in the spotlight, but at the same time, the stakes were much larger. With Kamoshida, Ren risked expulsion and being thrown into juvie and Ann left to fend off Kamoshida by herself. With Madarame, they risked being arrested on ground of breaking and entering, and who knows what would happen to Yusuke then? But with Kira? They could end up dead for all they know.

Ren believed that they should approach this as carefully as possible. If this really was a request to take Kira's heart, then they needed to be as careful as possible. That is, assuming this wasn't some kind of prank. Either way, until they had proof that said otherwise, he treated this as if it were the real deal.

"Speaking about Kira, what do you guys think about that L guy?" Ryuji asked, wisely deciding to change the subject. "If we make it big, do you think he'll investigate us too?"

Morgana hummed, flicking his tail. "Could be. From what I saw on the news, he's certainly impressive. What kind of person is this L, anyway?"

"I looked him up online during break." Ann said. "Turns out, he's the smartest detective in the whole world. He's solved a lot of cases that have had the police stumped, but he's also shrouded in mystery. Nobody knows how to contact him. They don't even know what he looks like, either! He's also pretty weird too, since he only takes on cases he's interested in."

"In other words, a faceless investigator." Yusuke mused with a wry grin. "And he's facing off against a killer who is also unseen. It feels as if we're in the middle of a mystery novel."

"And whoever's identity is exposed first will lose." Morgana finished. "Goodness, the idea of it all is certainly exciting to think. In the meantime, though, let's head to Big Bang Burger."

* * *

 _ **TAKE YOUR TIME**_

* * *

It was about ten minutes after they had arrived that the person who made the request appeared, looking around nervously. To their immediate surprise, the person in question looked quite a bit younger than them, being nothing more than a Junior High student. Ryuji muttered about how this was definitely a prank and that they had gotten their hopes up for nothing, but Ren thought otherwise. She seemed frightened and anxious, constantly looking around as if expecting something to pop out at her at any moment.

When she saw the group sitting at a table near the back, with Morgana safely hidden in the frizzy-haired teen's bag, she seemed to recognize them, no doubt because of the message Mishima sent her. Cautiously, she made her way to the table and addressed them.

"Um, e-excuse me." she said meekly. "Are you...the liasons I was told about on the Phan-site?"

Yusuke nodded. "That would be us." he said, confirming her question. "You're the one who made that strange request on the forum, correct?"

"Y-yes." Shyly, the girl took a seat. "My name is Sayu Yagami. I'm a second year at Kuroshima Middle School."

"It's nice to meet you, Sayu-chan." Ann smiled sweetly. "I'm Ann Takamaki, second-year at Shujin Private Academy! These are my friends, Ryuji Sakamoto and Ren Amamiya!" The blonde grinned at her and raised a hand in greeting. Ren, meanwhile, bowed his head to her politely while adjusting his glasses. "And this guy is Yusuke Kitagawa, from Kosei High."

The resident painter of the group smiled and bowed. "It's a pleasure." he said. "Would you care for something to eat, Yagami-san? You appear to be quite anxious."

"I'm..." Sayu hesitated for a moment, considering taking up their offer before she shook her head. "No, I'm fine."

"She seems quite jittery." Morgana noted, staring at the girl intently.

Ren nodded in agreement. If she was so nervous, it meant that her request was indeed a serious one. Of course, there was the chance she was exaggerating or misunderstanding her situation. At any rate, once she gave them the name of their target, they could answer the question as to whether or not this was indeed a hoax.

"Yagami-chan." Ren began, folding his hands. "About your request..."

Sayu flinched, but nodded. "I know it sounds crazy." she admitted to them. "I mean, it must be. I don't know if it really is true or not, but...something about my brother recently doesn't feel right. It feels like he's...changed."

"Changed?" Ann asked. "Changed how?"

"Our mother died when we were young." Sayu explained. "She was diagnosed with cancer. Our father is a member of the police force, so he wasn't usually around often, but he always made attempts to spend time with us." A fond smile spread across her face while she stared at her hands, sitting in her lap. "Light wanted to become a detective, so he studied non-stop. He was always at the top of his classes, even though he spent most of his time looking after me. He was like a perfectionist. Everything about him had to be perfect. I'm not sure if that was because of the stress of taking care of me and studying to stay at the top of school, or maybe just something else."

"But you said he started changing." Ryuji recalled. "How do you mean? Did his grades start dropping or he came home late or something?"

The girl shook her head. "No. Every now and then, I catch Light looking at things that aren't there. It's like he's staring at something that I can't see. A few times, I see him talking to someone in his room, but there's no one else inside. And there's his smile whenever I tell him about my worries. It feels...wrong. Like it's forced or something." Sayu bit her lip, gripping the edge of her skirt. "Now that I think about it... Light started to change around the same time the Kira killings began."

"Really?" Ren took note of this. So his behavior started to change since Kira's first victim. "Can you tell us of anything else?"

"Well...he's been holding himself up in his room more often, only leaving for meals or to go to the bathroom. And when I pass by his room, I can hear his TV talking about the Kira cases." Sayu's face then shifted into an expression of discomfort. "Then, when on the day when Kira killed that man on live television... I actually heard Light screaming when I was about to tell him dinner was ready."

"Screaming?" Ann tilted her head. "About what?"

"He said..." Sayu sucked in a breath. "He said that he was going to be the god of a new world, and that anyone who opposed him was evil."

Everyone turned still. They all looked at one another. Suddenly, any pretense of this being a joke was out the window. Yusuke frowned heavily, leaning forward and propping his elbows on the table. "And that's why you think your brother is...?"

"Y-yes." Sayu's lower lip trembled, her eyes watery. "I want to believe Light. I want to believe that I'm just blowing things out of proportion, but...!"

Ren held up a hand. "We understand." he told her. "Your brother. What's his full name?"

"It's Light." Sayu sniffled. "Light Yagami. Please... Tell the Phantom Thieves to steal his heart, or whatever it is they do. I want..." She sobbed slightly, wiping away the tears in her eyes. "I want my big brother back."

* * *

 _ **TAKE YOUR TIME**_

* * *

"...well. That turned into a shit show fast." Ryuji broke the silence after they had left for their hideout, that being the Shibuya overpass. To say that they were disturbed about their newest heist would be a major understatement, especially after what Sayu Yagami had told them. "I mean, whether this guy is Kira or not ain't the point anymore. You HAVE to have some screws loose to call yourself god."

Ann nodded. "No kidding." she said in agreement. "Ren-kun, you asked Mishima to do a bit of digging on this Light guy, right? Has he found anything?"

"As a matter of fact, he has." Morgana bobbed his head, jumping up to his perch. "Turns out, Light Yagami really is the perfect student. When he was in middle school, he won first place in the national tennis tournament and graduated at the top of his class with full honors. He's even got a recommendation to someplace called To-Oh University by the time he finishes high school."

Yusuke's eyes widened in shock. "To-Oh University is one of the most academically profound universities in Japan!" he cried in shock. "You would have to be a genius of some kind to receive a recommendation there!"

"There's more." the not-cat creature continued, narrowing his blue eyes. "Mishima also found some stuff about his family. Soichiro Yagami was a Lieutenant in the Japanese Police Department in the Drug Unit before he was transferred over to Homicide and made Lieutenant. After that, he became the Police Chief of the National Police Agency. His wife did die of cancer, with Sayu being only five years old at the time."

"Man..." Ryuji shook his head. "Talk about crazy." Then a thought passed his mind. "Wait a second. His dad is some big shot in the police?" Morgana nodded. "And Kira's been killing criminals, right? If Light Yagami really is Kira, then could he be using his dad to find criminals to kill?"

The thought brought chills down their spine. It certainly was feasible. With a position as high as Police Chief, especially in an government organization like the NPA, then it was little wonder how so many criminals were dying so fast. It was terrifying to think about.

"The more we talk about this, the more likely Light Yagami could truly be Kira." Yusuke frowned. "I think I speak for everyone when I say that caution is advised. This is not some mere criminal we're after."

"Got that right." Ryuji nodded before he looked at Ren. "Okay, leader. Let's see if what kind of Palace this guy has." Ren nodded and took out his phone, fiddling with it before the screen became swallowed, revealing a black and red eye with a star as a pupil.

"To do this, we need the name our target, their base of operations and what kind of distortion they possess, do I have that correct?" Yusuke asked, receiving nods from all four. "We already have the name. Light Yagami."

 _[Match Found.]_ a synthesized voice called out as a ripple echoed across the world around them, temporarily distorting reality.

"I think this confirms we have a new target." Morgana huffed, standing up. "What about his base of operations? The Yagami Household?"

 _[No match found.]_

"Maybe Osaka Castle?" Ann offered. "It's a famous landmark, and it's also considered to be a holy place."

 _[No match found.]_

Yusuke frowned. "We can't simply guess. First, we need to use the information we have. Both on Kira and Light Yagami. Let's think for a moment. From what Yagami-san has told us, her brother is a perfectionist, correct? And as Kira, he believes that all criminals should be condemned to death, regardless of who they may be. What do you suppose we can gleam from that?"

"Well, if it's about criminals, then maybe a police station?" Ann offered.

 _[No match found.]_

"Guess not. But how about prison?"

 _[No match found.]_

"Dang it."

"Maybe we should focus on the execution part." Morgana advised. "What could be a place for people to be executed?"

"Like what, and executioner ground?" Ryuji asked.

 _[No match found.]_

"...how about gallows?" Ren suggested.

 _[Match found.]_ Another ripple across reality emerged, this time stronger.

Yusuke's face twisted into disgust. "Despicable."

"Alright, that's two. But we still don't know his base of operations." Ann said. "If not his house, then where? Kamoshida's was the school and Madarame was his shack, so what would his be?"

"Well, the guy's got an ego if he thinks he's god." Ryuji deadpanned. "Maybe it's something crazy like the whole world or something."

 _[Candidate found.]_

"Wait, are you _serious_?!"

Ren stared at the Metaverse Navigator in surprise. To think that Light Yagami's distortion consisted of the entire world as mere gallows. It was disturbing as it was perhaps saddening. Just what on Earth could have caused him to become so distorted? At this, though, he merely shook his head. He supposed they would find out, once they infiltrated his Palace. He looked at the Phantom Thieves, all of whom showed great disturb by the information that was now in their grasp.

"He seriously thinks the whole world's his?" Ann muttered. "The hell kind of messed up mind does he have?"

"We're about to find out." Yusuke said, looking at Ren. "Shall we begin, leader?"

Ren nodded. He then pressed the [connect] button his phone. The world then twisted and warped, engulfed in black and red as the real world became swallowed in distorted imagery.

 _[Beginning navigation...]_

The world around them changed. People vanished, leaving the overpass and the street down below desolate and lifeless. The glass windows became cracked, some already destroyed with shards scattered about on the floor. The pavement became caked with dry red stains, nooses hanging from the ceiling while bizarre writing was scribbled all over the walls. The sky overhead had become dull gray, overcast with angry clouds. Rain pelted the world around them, drenching the streets. Some buildings had been reduced to crippled states, collapsed and spilled out on the streets and reduced to large heaps of rubble.

It was a cold world that was revealed to them. Worse, scattered all over the streets were wooden stations, all armed with silver blades hanging and looking ready to drop on some poor soul. Upon closer inspection, the world below was not truly lifeless, as there were people rummaging about. However, they were all dressed in white robes, mindlessly roaming and heading to a place in the distance with candles in their hands.

The Phantom Thieves' appearances had changed in response to being faced with such a bleak world. Ryuji's modified uniform was overwritten by leather, covering him from head to toe with a red ascot around his neck and a metal skull mask over the upper half of his face, yellow gloves fit tightly on his hands. Ann was clad in skin-tight red suit with several zippers lining her body, and exposing an ample amount of cleavage with a decorate tail hanging out. Over her face was a red feline-like mask, complete with pointed ears and a small snout. Yusuke's attire became more traditional high-collared jumpsuit with white shoulders and puffed sleeves, a kitsune mask over his face. Ren's was perhaps the most stylish, bearing a black tailcoat over a black waistcoat with golden accents, black pants and brownish black boots. Over his face was a white avian-styled mask.

Morgana was the most radical, as his form changed into that of a cat-like cartoonish being with a humanoid-like body with an oversized head, a yellow ascot around his neck and a utility belt around his waist.

"Jesus...!" Skull gasped, seeing the Palace that represented Light Yagami - Kira's distorted heart. "Would you look at this?! I thought Kamoshida's was messed up, but damn!"

"Talk about depressing..." Panther grimaced, holding her hands over her chest. "It feels so lifeless. Stifling, almost."

"It's morbid, I'll admit." Fox nodded. "There is a certain beauty to it, however bleak. Still, those people in the white cloaks. Are they cognitions?"

Morgana bobbed his head. "Most likely." he said seriously. "If he thinks himself as God, then they would be his loyal followers."

"Where are they even going?" Skull asked.

Joker looked forward, following the trail of white cloaks. Studying the distance, his eyes narrowed. Faintly, he could make out something in the distance. It was thin and long, extending high into the sky. "Maybe whatever's out there in the distance." he suggested before he turned on his heel. "C'mon, let's go. We can't waste any time."

As he walked away in a confidant stride, Fox tilted his head. "I must say, it's a startling transition." he said. "The difference between Ren in the real world and Ren here in the Metaverse is a stark one indeed."

"I know. We've seen it several times and we're still surprised by how he behaves." Panther replied.

"That's our Joker, for you." Mona cheered. The group then followed Joker, leaving the Shibuya overpass.

* * *

 _ **TAKE YOUR TIME**_

* * *

The streets somehow appeared to be even more bleak up close, now that they stood in the center of it all, following the crowds of Kira Worshipers. "Seriously, this is creeping me out..." Skull grouched, hands in his pockets. "You'd think they could hold a conversation."

"They only appear to care about worshiping Kira and nothing else." Fox stated. "It certainly speaks volumes about Light Yagami's character. However, I'm surprised we've yet to encounter any Shadows."

"True..." Panther hummed as she looked around. All she saw were decaying buildings and streets flooded with white, machines of death lining the streets as if they were decorations or street lamps. "By now, we usually encounter them."

"We're already in our Metaverse Attire, meaning Light Yagami already sees us as threats." Mona said with cautious eyes, scanning the streets for any sign of a threat. "I bet he considers anyone who isn't a worshiper of Kira to be an enemy, judging by what Sayu told us."

Joker nodded. He did claim to be god and that those who opposed him were evil. Since they were the Phantom Thieves, they were indeed enemies to him, though whether he was aware of what they had in mind was up for debate. He was pretty sure that Light Yagami didn't even know the Phantom Thieves even existed, given that only a handful of people seemed to believe in them and that he was pre-occupied with his own activties, killing criminals. Looking at the gallows, Joker took notice of the red stains that marked the pavement, creating streaks and paths, all leading to whatever stood in the distance.

 _'Just what could it be...?'_

When they reached an intersection, Joker stopped abruptly, causing everyone to stop as well. "Joker?" Panther asked. "What's wrong?"

Joker didn't reply. Instead, he narrowed his eyes as he brought out his knife, a hand already reaching for his mask. Realizing what this implied, everyone else brought out their own weapons: a club for Skull, for Panther a whip, a katana for Fox and a scimitar for Mona. In the middle of the passing white cloaked followers, a group of black cloaked individuals emerged, all wearing pure white masks with slanted slits and a cross on the forehead.

"Guess we're meeting the welcoming party." Skull grinned. "I was starting to get worried this would be a piece of cake!"

 _ **"...you are not among the shepherd's flock."**_ one of the black cloaked figures said in a warped voice as red veins began to spread across their bodies, masks cracking. _**"You are blasphemers, sent to lead our sheep astray!"**_ Their forms exploded in gory fashion, reduced to spewing out black and red muck before reforming into new shapes: red-clad soldiers with pure white wings from their backs, spears in hand and a black mask hiding their face. _**"The condemned have no place in Paradise!"**_

"Ravage them!" Joker called out as his mask burst into azure flames, expanding and flowing behind him and forming into a solid shape. "Arsene!"

The flames dispersed, revealing his Persona in its glory. It was a tall, lanky figure dressed in a red suit with clawed hands and bladed boots. Black wings unfurled from its back in a grandiose manner. It's face was a black mask with a blazing grin and slanted eyes with protruding horns. On its head was a tall top hat.

With a cackling laugh, dark energy gathered around its claws as it slammed it into the ground, proceeding to send the wave of power straight at the Powers. They backed away, evading the blast before they split apart, aiming to strike the group from different sides, only to find that the other Phantom Thieves were not as helpless as they thought they were. They were promptly introduced to their Personas, with one Power getting a personal greeting as a wooden ship smashed into its body at full force, knocking it into a building. On said ship was a skeleton, dressed in the garbs of a pirate with a cannon on its right arm and an eyepatch over one of its sockets, a yellow blazing eye glaring out at the Shadows.

Behind Panther, a beautiful woman emerged from her own flames, clad in a beautiful dress that greatly emphasized her assets with a black mask over her face, similar to the one Ann Takamaki herself wore. In hand was a chain, which led to two men in suits with heart-shaped masks over their heads, armed with speakers. In the Persona's mouth was a smoking cigar, which lit up as it blew out smoke from its mouth, creating a wave of flames that nearly burned another Archangel to cinders, narrowly avoiding it.

"Come to me, Goemon!" Fox called out as he deflected an attack from a Shadow with his katana, his Persona manifesting behind him. Dressed in an elaborate yukata with a white kabuki mask painted over its face and a large pipe with a blade attached sitting in its mouth, the Persona glared down the Power before it swung its pipe at it, bisecting it in half and reducing it to mere gunk on the pavement.

Mona jumped over an attack, leaping off an Power's head before bringing his cutlass down on another, slicing off its head and sending it spiraling back to the ground. As he landed among the cognitions of Kira's followers, he slammed his paw into the ground as his bright blue eyes glowed, a magnificent aura flowing around him and forming into a burly shape: a black clad figure with a hulking form, wielding a sword far too small in spite of its size. "Zoro, show your might!" Morgana ordered as his Persona created a "Z" with a swing of its rapier, creating a gust of wind that knocked the Archangel back, knocking into its comrade.

Seeing an opportunity, Joker immediately took advantage and called for Arsene to launch up, swinging its leg at the two disoriented Shadows. The end result was them being sliced in half, separated from their torsos and becoming black splatters on the ground. At this moment, the Shadow that Skull had knocked into the building reappeared, charging straight at the white-masked thief. It went in for a thrust, only for Joker to side-step and kick it in the back of the head, knocking it to the ground and whipping out a pistol from his person, unloading all the bullets in his clip.

Seconds later, the Shadow went lip and became a puddle on the ground. Rolling his shoulders, Joker looked behind him to see Skull slamming his club into the last remaining Shadow. It didn't kill it, but that was not his intention as he purposely left it disoriented and allowing for Panther's Persona to reduce it to ashes, consuming it in fire.

By the time the dust settled, the only people left were the worshipers, who had paid no mind to the battle whatsoever, and the Phantom Thieves, who were victorious. Hefting his club to his shoulder, Skull rubbed his nose and grinned. "That wasn't so hard." he said as he looked to his companions. "Those guys were freakin' weak. Madarame's Shadows were stronger than this. This'll be cakewalk after all!"

Fox sighed, shaking his head. One of these days, he swore Skull's overconfidence would be the death of him. Just as he was about to open his mouth to retort, he suddenly went still and went for his katana. "...Skull?" he called to his friend. "You may wish to look behind you."

Skull looked over his shoulder and paled. The other Phantom Thieves stared in shock and disbelief, as the sky was now filled with white-winged creatures, all wielding weapons and staring down at the Phantom Thieves with contempt and loathing. "...Mona?" Panther called out weakly. "Um, I think now is a good time to turn into a car!"

One Shadow released a loud primal roar, followed by the others, quickly sounding into what could only be considered thunderous cries of the damned as the Shadows all charged at the group. Mona was already in motion, body consumed in a puff of smoke before a large black van took his place, bouncing on the concrete before its doors swung open. Quickly, the Phantom Thieves dived inside, with Joker at the wheel.

"Floor it man!" Skull cried in a panic. The leader didn't need to be told twice as he slammed his foot on the accelerator. The transformed Mona took off like a rocket with the white winged creatures trailing behind.

Normally, doing this would be dangerous in such a crowded street. Even if they were cognitions, they were still technically people. Even so, Joker had no choice but to plow right through them as he attempted to avoid the Shadows hot on their heels. "Fox! Panther!" he shouted from the driver's seat. "See if you can slow them down!"

The back doors were pulled open as the two thieves took out a rifle and sub-machine gun respectively, firing off as many rounds as they possible could. While they were not trained to handle weapons like these, their experiences in the Palace and in such situations more than made up for it. Shells began to litter the floor, falling and bouncing while bullets soared through the air like a storm, gunning down any Shadow that got too close.

Joker kept his eyes trained on the road, finding that the next intersection was blocked by the remains of yet another collapsed building. Gritting his teeth, he yelled at his friends in the back. "Hang on!" He spun the wheel, making the transformed Mona swerve as it attempted to avoid crashing into the pile of rubble, sliding into another street.

"We're going to run out of bullets at this rate!" Skull shouted. "We gotta sake 'em!"

"And how do you propose we do that?!" Fox shot back, sniping another Shadow in the head and destroying it. "There's far too many of them!"

"Why the hell are there so many Shadows around here anyway?!"

"This Kira guy must _really_ not trust anyone for his Palace to be this alert!" Mona exclaimed.

"Well, no shit!" Skull cried.

One Power got too close for comfort, sending a spear straight at them. The two managed to evade it, but it nearly struck Skull's private region, making him pale. Mona yelped, letting out a growl. "Watch it back there!" he shouted indignantly. "You think I don't feel that?!"

"We're still in Shibuya, right?" Fox asked. "Joker, try heading into the alleys! We might be able to lose them in there!"

"Can we even fit in an alley?!"

"We don't have a choice!"

Joker smirked. "Hang on!"

He made a sharp turn that nearly turned over Mona, but the transformed thief managed to stay upright. He hit the accelerator again and shot forward.

* * *

 _ **TAKE YOUR TIME**_

* * *

 _ **"The criminals are somewhere in this area! Find them and execute them!"**_

The Shadows were now throw into a crazed frenzy, searching high and low after they had lost sight of the Phantom Thieves. Unknown to them, the group was hiding out inside a small apartment store building with the front barred with turned over shelves and karts. The group had taken the opportunity to rest inside, slightly tired and exhausted in spite of the fact that they had only taken part in a single battle. The excitement of the chase had drained, leaving them all tired.

"Dammit..." Skull panted, resting on the floor. "How many Shadows were there? Is this guy always on high alert or something?"

"It would appear to be the case." Fox surmised, sitting in a nearby chair while Joker provided a small drink for him, procured earlier before their infiltration into the Palace. It was always handy to have some rations on hand, after all. "Still, the number was quite alarming. On the plus side, however, it seems we're getting closer to the structure in the distance. It appears to be some kind of tower."

Mona, who took a spot up on the counter, folded his arms. "From the security, I think it's a fair assumption that as we get closer, we'll encounter more and more Shadows." he said. Skull grimaced, not liking the possibility. While they were no strangers to fighting, getting involved in too many in quick succession would tire them out far too quickly. "Even if they're weak, they make up for it in sheer numbers."

"This is one hell of a Palace." Panther commented off-handedly. "To make matters worse, we have to travel all across Tokyo to do it! This sucks!"

Joker put a hand to his chin, deep in thought. What Panther said wasn't wrong. They wouldn't be able to navigate the entire city and reach the tower, not in their current situation, with the Shadows now on high alert. They needed to act discreetly as possible. A thought came to his mind, which made him frown. Would it be feasible?

"What if we used the subway?" he offered.

"You mean, the trains?" Skull cocked his head. "Uh, maybe? Assuming they aren't out of service."

"With how distorted this place is, I'd be surprised if they were running." Fox huffed before giving it another thought. "However...perhaps we could use the tunnels to our advantage. Assuming the trains aren't working, we may be able to move about more freely there. The tunnels do cover all of Japan, after all."

"Yeah, assuming they're not collapsed to hell."

"It still sounds like our safest bet." Panther said sternly. "All we have to do is head to the nearest train station and avoid being seen by the Shadows. It sounds easy enough."

"Assuming we don't run into opposition." Mona countered, hopping off the counter. "But, it does sound like the safest bet right now. We won't be able to run around the streets with the Shadows being on high alert. Let's wait until things die down, then head out again."

"Sounds like a plan." Skull said. Then he groaned and rolled his neck. "Wouldn't I give for a Safe Room right about now...?"

* * *

 _ **TAKE YOUR TIME**_

* * *

In the real world, while the Phantom Thieves pursued the distorted version of Light Yagami, the teen himself was at home studying, sitting at his desk with his notebook out in front of him. In hand was a ball-point pen, which was constantly moving back and forth across the pages as he worked while his TV blared the news. Occasionally, he'd look up and see the news before returning to his notebook.

However, he wasn't alone in the room. Sayu had been correct in her assumptions, but she was ignorant to the reality of the situation. If she had touched the notebook, she would have seen it herself. The creature that was sitting on his bed, snacking on an apple.

 **"Hey, Light."** the creature, the Shinigami known as Ryuk, asked as it took a huge chunk out of the apple, gnashing its fangs before swallowing. **"How come you haven't killed that FBI agent yet? You already have his name, don't you? Why not kill him right now?"**

Light raised an eyebrow and looked at Ryuk with scrutiny. "If I did that, L would know something was happening." he stated, going back to his notebook. "It's better if I wait it out. I can kill Raye Penber any time I want, but it'll have to be at least a week after the bus hijacking."

 **"Heh. If you say so..."** Ryuk shrugged. Truly, the Shinigami didn't understand why he was so adamant about not following through. But he did raise a somewhat valid point. If he kept killing, L would constantly be after him. However, he couldn't help but feel a tingle down his spine, thinking about what kind of fun he'd see as he watches Light work. Honestly, he had never seen a human quite like this. You would be hard pressed to find someone who would use the Death Note in such a manner, especially towards a goal like this.

A human, claiming to be God?

 _'I wonder what IT would think, about a human wanting to be God.'_

It was certainly an interesting prospect. For now, he'll see how things will play out. Still, was it just his imagination, or was Light unusually on edge? It was weird, seeing him uptight. Usually, he'd be confident. The fact that he was facing off against a supposed superior detective did little to deter him at all. In fact, it made him act even bolder, though the appearance of the FBI made him act cautiously.

Whatever the case was, Ryuk supposed it didn't matter. Just as long as things remained interesting.

 _"Now, in other news..."_ the news anchor said. _"It's been a month since Suguru Kamoshida, a former alumnus of Shujin Academy and gold medal Olympic sportsman, confessed his crimes during a morning assembly. For those who aren't aware, Kamoshida sexually assaulted female students who were members of the school's volleyball club while abusing the male members, including those outside the club. Curently, Suguru Kamoshida is facing life imprisonment with no chance of parol. However, they are strange rumors going around that his confession was in part due a group calling themselves the Phantom Thieves of Hearts."_

Light paused, looking at the news with a raised eyebrow. "Phantom Thieves...?"

 _"Based on obtained evidence, these Phantom Thieves claimed that they would steal Kamoshida's heart, making him confess his own crimes. However, there is no official confirmation of such individuals existing."_

Ryuk laughed. **"Phantom Thieves, stealing hearts?"** he asked, suddenly finding himself amused. **"Now that's a new one!"**

Light huffed. "Probably a bunch of attention grabbers, nothing more." he said, waving a hand. "I have better things to put my attention on."

 **"You going to kill that Kamoshida guy?"**

"He confessed to his crimes, didn't he?" the brown-haired honors student replied. "I only kill criminals who are serving a life sentence, have been escaping the law or are already waiting their execution. He's scum, that's for sure, but if he's willing to try and turn a new leaf over, I won't bother with him." A brief pause, then a chuckle. "Besides, even if I don't kill him, maybe an inmate will. Sex crimes aren't exactly well-liked in that part of Japan, even among other criminals."

 **"You don't say?"** the Shinigami said, giggling to himself before he finished off his apple. **"Still, though... On the off chance these so-called thieves exist, what'cha gonna do?"**

"What?"

 **"You said you were trying to become God and you were gonna kill all criminals, plus anybody who gets in your way, like that Tailor stand-in who got thrown to the wolves and those FBI guys pretty soon. If they get in your way, are you going to deal with the way?"**

"That's a rather stupid question." Light huffed, setting his pen down as he turned to address Ryuk. "Of course I will. But like I said, they're probably nothing more than a bunch of idiots who think they were why this Kamoshida confessed his crimes." He narrowed his eyes, studying Ryuk. "Unless there's something else you're not telling me again."

This had not been the first time Ryuk had withheld information from him. When he contemplated what to do with Raye Penber before he discovered how he could force the man to give up his name, Ryuk had told him about the benefit of the Shinigami Eyes, which came at the cost of half the user of the Death Note's lifespan. He wouldn't put it past him to hold back further information from him, all simply for the sake of convenient entertainment. Still, he was a necessary presence, since he needed Ryuk's Death Note to enact his own plans.

The Shinigami merely chuckled and waved a hand. **"Let's just say...the Death Note isn't the only power that can affect the world and leave it at that, shall we?"**

"What's that supposed to mean?"

 **"You'll figure it out~"**

Light glared at Ryuk, scowling before clicking his tongue and returning to his work. If only he could write Ryuk's name in the Death Note. It would've saved him the trouble, though maybe he could bribe him instead with apples? _'Enough.'_ his mind decided, picking up his pen. _'I have better things to do rather than worry about crap like this.'_

* * *

 _ **TAKE YOUR TIME**_

* * *

Avoiding the Shadows had not been an easy affair for the Phantom Thieves, but they had managed to hide by knocking out a few Kira followers and taking their cloaks, blending in with the surrounding occultists. It took a bit of navigating, being utterly lost in the surrounding area, but they were eventually able to find the subway they needed.

"No trains." Skull noted the obvious as he hopped down to the tracks. "Hell, I don't even see any train tracks, either."

"Even if there were trains, I doubt they could run." Fox told him, pointing up to the roof of the subway. They were cracked, already on the verge of falling apart by the seams. They were only barely holding on thanks to steel beams and bits of framework still clinging to life. "We'd best take care not to do too much damage if we fight in doors. One stray blast, and we could potentially cause a cave-in."

"Hey, guys!" Panther called the group over, pointing at what appeared to be a map of the subway tunnels. "Here! I think this is a map of all the routes here in Japan!"

Mona frowned. "Hm...they're all converging at that point in the center." he said, pointing his paw. "Where is that?"

"That's in Kanto." Joker answered. "It's where L deduced where Kira was when he confronted them."

"Which means that's where the tower is." Fox surmised. "But why a tower? What purpose?"

"Probably to symbolize how he stands higher than others as a God." Mona suggested. "Or it could be for another reason. Wasn't that Ushimaru guy talking about something called the Tower of Babel?"

Joker nodded. "It was created in the hopes that everyone could be closer to God." he answered smoothly. "But God wasn't flattered in the least and destroyed it. As a result, the common tongue was split."

"Which means we're the ones who'll have to bring the tower crumbling down, right?" Skull asked, receiving strong nods of agreement in turn. As a result, the muscle of the group grinned and slammed his fist into his palm. "A'right, then let's hurry up and get to the tower!"

"Wait a second." Panther frowned. "The tunnel we're in is Aoyama-Itchome. That's close to our school. If we're going by distance, then the tower's all the way over at maybe Tokyo or Chiba."

"And the chart practically has the tunnels acting like a maze." Fox noted with some concerns. "It will take some time to navigate all of this."

"We're just going to have to wing it." Mona said. "For now, let's look for a Safe Room, now that we have a general idea of the layout of the place."

Joker nodded in agreement. It wouldn't do them well to get tired simply by trying to make progress. Besides, they had already made plenty. For now, all they needed to do was secure a starting point. As they departed from the entrance, however, he soon realized that they weren't alone as he and the others stopped, already taking out their weapons when Shadows suddenly emerged, circling around them.

"Dammit!" Skull cursed. "Here too?!"

 _ **"There they are. The criminals who dare stand against God.**_ " one Shadow announced with anger before they all revealed their true forms. They were all Powers, all save for one, which was garbed in emerald green robes and wielded a sceptor and donned a helmet with wings. _**"Execute them! In the name of God!"**_

Joker clicked his tongue before he smiled widely, putting a hand over his mask. He felt a charge rush through his body, as if he suddenly swelled with newfound strength. He had been looking forward to trying out this Persona! "Come forth!" As two Powers rushed at him, they subsequently found themselves being destroyed by bolts of lightning, which danced around Joker like a barrier. The source was a Persona, vastly different from Arsene, as it wore a long coat with a black-and-red plaid pattern, the sleeves of its arms and boots colored crimson as well as the headband around its silvery mask. Peering out were two yellow eyes, which burned like coal in the darkness of the tunnels. In hand was a large blade with a long handle, resembling a naginata of some sort. "Izanagi Picaro!"

The Rogue Persona raised its blade and swung it in a cross-like fashion, quickly eliminating any Shadows within its range. Skull and Panther proceeded to summon their own Personas, Captain Kidd emerging from a sea of blue flames and aiming his cannon at them while Carmen merely sent her puppets out, using their chains like whips to wrap around their necks before bringing them to the ground, pinning them beneath her feet before she promptly set them ablaze. Fox and Mona, meanwhile, charged at the Shadows with weapons in hand, the latter being quick and agile as it blocked their spears with expert swordsmanship before jumping up, using one Power's shield as a springboard and slicing off the head of another Shadow.

As Izanagi Picaro receded, Joker took aim and fired at the Principality, only to find the Shadow deflecting his bullets with ease before she raised her sceptor, sending down spears of light his way. Acting quickly, he backflipped away and then charged at her with his knife. Once he was within range, he swung, aiming for her wing, but was blocked and promptly shoved back. He summoned Izanagi Picaro again, which sent a bolt of lightning at the Shadow. Unlike before, it couldn't deflect and was thrown into the wall, causing the tunnel to shake.

"Joker, be careful!" Fox cautioned. "One wrong move, and we could send this place crashing down on our own heads!"

"Yo, Fox!" Skull cried out. "Duck!" The masked teen didn't need to be told twice, trusting his teammate. "Blow 'em away, Captain!" Slamming a foot at the head of his ship, Captain Kidd took aim and shot a yellow bolt of electricity, striking the Shadow dead on and stunning them, allowing Fox to spin around and bisect it, separating it from its torso.

As he put a hand to his mask, Fox smiled gratefully. "You have my thanks, Skull! Now, come!" Goemon emerged promptly, slamming a heel into the ground and striking pose. At this moment, a chilling air danced around Fox before it solidified, forming into spears that were sent flying, going straight at the gathering Powers, which were promptly skewered and fell to the ground. "Now, Mona!"

With a grin, Mona jumped up, bouncing off the head of a stunned Shadow and whipped out a slingshot, taking aim and shooting all the metal balls he had in hand, piercing through the red-plated armor and destroying the Shadows with ease, leaving them as black stains on the ground. As he landed, a Shadow loomed over him, though he merely smirked as Zorro manifested a second later, slashing the sneaking Power right down the middle.

"Hmph. Amateur!" With that, the battle soon drew too a close.

* * *

 _ **TAKE YOUR TIME**_

* * *

After the group had taken the moment to rest, they ventured down the long stretching tunnel. Occasionally, they would encounter resistance in the form of Shadows, who approached them with the intent to kill. Thankfully, however, compared to the state of things above ground, the Shadows were far fewer in number. Soon, they happened to reach a small branch in the path, though in between was a small room, labeled as Maintenance. Mona was excited to inform them that they had managed to find a Safe Room, allowing them a moment of respite as they lounged inside, going over their plans.

"Alright, we've established a point of entry." Mona went over. "But the path to getting to Kira's Tower isn't going to be easy. From what we saw on that chart, we could easily get lost. We'll need to prepare extensively."

"Aw, come on. What's there to worry about?" Skull asked with a light-hearted grin. "The Shadows are freaking weak. We can take care of them, easy!"

Panther shook her head, giving the muscle of the group a glare. "Just cause the Shadows are weaker than they were in Madarame's Palace doesn't mean this'll be cakewalk, Skull." she reprimanded, putting a hand at her hip. "Don't forget who's Palace we're inside of!"

"I'm still amazed at the extent of Light Yagami's distortion." Fox remarked with a look of worry. "His talk of becoming the god of a new world aside, his view about the world is quite disturbing."

"He thinks the world is rotting..." Joker guessed. "Or something along those lines."

"Rotting, huh..." Skull muttered, losing his passionate fire for a second as he stared at the ground glumly. "Well, he ain't wrong there. There's lots of shitty adults in the world, but that's no excuse to become a shitty person yourself."

"While on the subject of Kira," Mona brought up. "What do you suppose will happen to Sayu-chan once we steal Kira's heart?" The group stared at him quizzically. "Her mother died when she was young, and Kira's been practically raising her for her whole life. Their father is the police chief of the Police Department. If we steal Kira's heart, and he turns himself over to the police..."

The implications were enough to bring about a disheartening silence. They had never thought about it, but when they had, they soon realized the implications. Not only would Sayu's older brother and parental figure be thrown in jail and likely executed, but it would have to be done at the hands of her own father, who would have no choice but to perform his duty out of moral obligation to his job. Kira-no, light Yagami was a murderer who needed to be punished. The severity of his crimes, even with his confession, would not be enough to stave off the chopping block.

"...we can think about this later." Joker told everyone, voice even. He couldn't afford to show weakness, not in front of everyone. He was their leader, the one who was meant to keep their spirits up. He had to pull himself forward, even if he was on the verge of breaking down. "Let's head home."

"Amen to that..."

* * *

"Hey." Sojiro Sakura greeted Ren gruffly as the frizzy-haired teen entered Leblanc. Surprisingly, rather than the passive face the old man had grown used to seeing, he instead found a young boy looking lost and in need of direction. "Hmph. That's a strange face you've got."

"How so?" Ren asked.

"You look like you have no idea what you're doing." Sojiro told him bluntly. "What's on your mind, kid? Aren't you getting straight A's?"

Ren Amamiya, in spite of his status as a social pariah in the eyes of Shujin, did take his studies seriously. However, you would very rarely find him to be studying. It was like he was a natural genius, or if you were to ask Morgana's opinion, the perfect thief. He was at the top of all his classes, and his otherworldly endeavors had more than showed off his well-toned physique and capability in gym class. And if Morgana was to be believed, there were a few female students who appreciated the view, even if his muscles were mostly hidden behind baggy clothing.

"It isn't about studying." he told his guardian as he took a seat at the counter, face pensive. "I was just thinking... If you want to help someone, but you end up hurting them in the process, is the risk really worth it?"

Sojiro blinked, staring at Ren with an odd look. He wasn't expecting a question like that. However, it did bring to mind the circumstances behind his reason for being in the cafe in the first place. "You aren't getting yourself into trouble, I hope?" he asked sternly. Ren shook his head. He knew the rules behind his stay quite well. "Don't tell me your sticking your nose into someone else's business."

"I can't help if I want to help someone." Ren defended himself. "But I am behaving myself. It's just..." He sighed. He wasn't entirely sure how he was supposed to word this without causing a lot of confusion? Shaking his head, he groaned and put his head in his face. "I just feel so lost and I have no idea which way is up."

Sojiro stared at him for a moment before sighing. It seemed like his ward just couldn't help himself. And now he's got himself in quite a conundrum. It wasn't any of his business to get involved. As far as he was concerned, he was just supposed to make sure the kid didn't cause any trouble, both for him and for himself. He was on probation, after all. One wrong step, and he could find himself tumbling in the worst way possible. Still, he supposed it was good for the boy to be thinking about others, as well as the consequences. "...well, I'll bite." Sojiro eventually shrugged as he went to go brew the boy a cup of coffee. He looked as if he needed it. "What did you get yourself involved in now?"

"A friend of a friend." Ren gave him the abridged version. He sincerely doubted he would believe that a mere high school student and honors student was Kira. "Her brother's been acting weird, and she thinks he might've gotten himself involved in something bad. She does think she could be imagining the whole thing. From what I got, her brother's been the one taking care of her."

"No parents?"

"The mother died and their father rarely comes home." he replied. "So her brother doubles with his own life on top of looking after her, and despite all that, he's at the top of his classes."

Sojiro hummed thoughtfully. It's not the strangest story he's heard of. "If he is getting himself involved in something, it's probably just from the stress." he suggested. The light flickered off and he pulled the mug away, setting it down on the counter for Ren to take. The frizzy-haired teen accepted it gratefully, taking it into both hands. "I can kind of understand the stress about taking care of someone by yourself. It isn't exactly easy."

"The Boss sounds like he speaks from experience." Morgana noted curiously, Ren nodding in agreement. However, he didn't dare press further, lest he found himself without a home.

"Still." Sojiro shook his head, giving Ren a small glare. "Just don't get yourself into too much trouble, you hear? Last thing I need is for whatever your getting yourself mixed up knocking at my front door!" Ren nodded. The old man grunted, but otherwise remained amicable. "Anyway, if the brother is getting himself into trouble, he's the one who has to deal with the consequences. But, if you really can't help yourself, then at the very least, you should try and understand why he's getting himself involved in that kind of thing in the first place. Then you can decide whether or not you'll be helping someone or hurting them."

The teen nodded, gratefully accepting the advice.

Light Yagami was a mystery that he didn't fully understand. There were so many mysteries about him that he needed to learn. How exactly had Light Yagami become Kira? How did he possess the ability to kill someone with a heart attack? What made him desire to become a god? All of those questions were plaguing his mind, but he knew full well where the answers were. Inside his Palace, where he was truly God and the Angels were primed to strike down all sinners. Such a bleak world showed how Light Yagami saw the current world around him, but how had he come to reach such a conclusion? With each new question, the more eager Ren was to explore that world and take those secrets.

A small smirk began to develop, unseen by Sojiro as he thanked him for the cup of coffee and went upstairs to his little abode.

 _'Taking God's heart, huh?'_ the Wild Card couldn't help but think. _'This will be fun!'_

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**

* * *

 _"Yes. Before that happens, we will take this country!" -Ren Amamiya, "Persona 5"_

* * *

 _ **Days Until**_  
 _ **Raye Penber's Death**_  
 _ **7**_

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES:** Special thanks to Daemon of Wrath for helping me bring you this first chapter. Please enjoy, and place your bets on who will triumph: the trickster or the godly wannabe!


	2. Thieves VS God, Part II

" _I will hunt you down wherever you're hiding and I will eliminate you! I am... Justice!" -Light Yagami & L, "Death Note"_

* * *

 **WARNING LETTER**

* * *

On June 6th, the people of Japan had come to learn about the Phantom Thieves of Hearts. That included Light Yagami himself, who spent his Sunday at home, helping Sayu with her school assignment while the news blared in the background.

 _"I... I have committed a grievous crime, unfitting of an artist."_ Light looked over his shoulder, raising an eyebrow as he watched the broadcast. There was a man on the television, wearing a simple blue yukata underneath a dark green jacket, frosty gray hair pulled back into a small tail and a thin beard across his chin. His head was lowered, eyes watery while tears openly ran down his face, head bowed deeply as if unable to meet the camera's gaze. _"Plainly put, I... I plagarized my own students' artwork!"_

 **"Hoh, what do we have here...?"** Sitting on the couch, Ryuk leaned in with interest clearly written across his face. **"This looks fun!"**

The tears ran down in greater force, even as the quick flashes of camera went off in the background. People were stunned by the blatant, remorseful words that fell from Ichiryusai Madarame's mouth, who bowed his head in shame. _"I-I have tainted this country's art world...and even the "Sayuri"!"_ Sobs escaped Madarame's throat as his hand slammed against the table repeatedly. The once proud artist of Japanese fame worldwide was reduced to a sniveling wreck, face twisting and contorting as tears and mucus slithered down his wrinkly skin. _"H-how can I possibly atone...for what I've done?!"_

 _"That was the urgent apology conference held by Madarame-san a few minutes ago."_ the news anchor reported as the scene on the television screen promptly pulled Madarame's sniveling face away and tucked into a corner while a woman behind a desk addressed anyone watching the broadcast. _"Following the reveal to his crimes to the association, Madarame-san turned himself over to the police, following their request."_

"Madarame..." Sayu tilted her head. "Wasn't he that really famous artist that was holding that exhibition?"

Light nodded. "He was." he told her. "He was famous all around the world for his varied and unique art styles. From the look of it now, though, it seems like he was just claiming other people's works as his own."

 _'Good riddance.'_ Light said internally as he narrowed his eyes, glaring at Madarame's tiny image. Though the man was pitiful and begging to atone for his crimes, Light knew that what he had done was unforgivable. However, since the man was willing to turn his life around, he wouldn't give the man the death he deserved. _'Scum like that deserves to rot inside a jail cell. Still... Why did he willingly confess his crimes? His career has been going on for years now. He could have just continued on, and no one would know unless someone knew where to look.'_

 _"On top of charges of abusing his students, Madarame-san is also under suspicion of claiming his own students' artworks as his own. Some have even begun to speculate that his maiden and breakout work, the beloved "Sayuri," may not have been stolen, but rather used for fraud."_ the news anchor continued on. _"Ichiryusai Madarame was a giant in the art world, and to hear that his works were all those of his previous students, it has caused no end of surprises. Police are still in the middle of a full-scale investigation. Following his arrest, Madarame was taken to a police hospital to undergo interrogation, due to his age. Though some believe that Madarame-san's actions were not fully lucid, psyche evaluations show him to be sound of mind and fully responsible for his actions."_ _  
_

 _'I still don't believe it. No one has a change of heart like that out of the blue...'_ Light's thoughts trailed off, blinking when he remembered what he had heard two days ago. _'Wait... Change of heart?'_

 _"It has also been reported by officials that a "calling card" was discovered posted through out the exhibit. Supposedly, a group of individuals, who call themselves the Phantom Thieves, are responsible for Madarame's confession."_ Both Yagami siblings' eyes widened at this, the younger of the two moreso as hope suddenly began to blossom in her heart, sneaking a glance at her older brother. Meanwhile, Ryuk was laughing his head off, falling off the couch and holding his stomach. _"There were similar reports of such individuals performing such an act during the investigation of Suguru Kamoshida, a former Olympic volleyball gymnast who was accused of sexually assaulting his students. Though they were initially brushed off, the police are now investigating the matter, no doubt due to Kira's actions across the globe."_

The Phantom Thieves. The group who claimed to be capable of changing someone's heart. Was it actually possible? Did they truly exist?

Light stared at the screen, his eyes darkening for a moment before he shut off the TV. "Light?"

"Sorry." Light quickly put on a fake smile, sneakily shooting Ryuk a look of annoyance for his incessant laughter before turning back to Sayu. "I was getting kind of bored with the news. Let's continue, okay?"

"Okay!"

* * *

CHAPTER 02: Thieves vs. God, Part II

* * *

Speaking of the Phantom Thieves, they had entered the Metaverse once agan, finding themselves once more in the distortion that was Light Yagami's Palace. Though they had seen plenty of it the day before, they still felt unnerved by what they had seen. "I was kind of hoping what I saw yesterday was just an exaggeration." Skull grumbled with a heavy frown. "Just how messed up do you have to be for your head to look like this?"

"Who can say?" Mona shrugged as they walked through the path leading towards their next destination. "Kira's Palace is way beyond distorted. Then again, I suppose we'll learn more about him as we go."

"What's there to know?" the blonde delinquent retorted, kicking a small pebble out the way. "He's got a giant ego and he thinks he's effin' God. I think we know everything there is to know about him."

Fox shook his head. "Whatever the case, we should be glad we have a place of infiltration, considering most of our time will be traversing these tunnels." he remarked. "If the tower is in Kanto, then we have quite the trek ahead of us."

"Well, at least we can go as slow as we need to, right?"

Panther stopped, turning around to glare at Skull. "Are you an idiot?!" she hissed, causing him to hold up his defense and cower beneath her fiery gaze. "The longer we sit around, who knows how many people are being killed?! Sure, they're scumbags like Kamoshida and Madarame, but they don't deserve to die!"

"I-I didn't mean it like that..." Skull protested weakly. He looked at Joker for support, only to find the masked leader shaking his head and walking ahead. "H-hey, Joker?! C'mon, a little help, please?!"

"You dug yourself that hole, Skull." Fox walked right past him, shooting him a look of sympathy but otherwise made no attempt to help him from Panther's anger. "Now you must lay in it."

"Aw, c'mon Fox!" Ryuji complained.

"They're right you know." Mona chirped up. "The longer we wait, the more likely it is for Kira to kill more and more people."

"Which is precisely why we need to wrap this up as soon as possible." Joker finished. "C'mon, let's go."

It wasn't long, however, before they encountered Shadows. Thankfully, they hadn't appeared to notice them yet, though Joker was not willing to take any chances and ordered the thieves to hide. Skull and Mona took refuge underneath a platform while Fox and Panther hid behind a few fallen pillars, heads poking out from the corner to observe the approaching masked creatures while Joker managed to situate himself behind a sizable pile of debris.

Carefully, he leaned slightly and strained his ears. As the Shadows drew closer, he could overhear their conversation.

 **"The heathens from the other day haven't been spotted, have they?"** the left one questioned with hostility. **"We must find them immediately. Especially if they're the threats our God believes them to be."**

 **"Blasphemy."** the right Shadow rebuked. **"What they could possibly do? They are rats, scurrying about like the vermin they are. They cannot hope to reach the Tower, much less stop that foolish criminal's execution!"**

 _'Execution...?'_ Joker wondered, leaning closer, but making sure he wasn't too far out, lest he be spotted.

 **"When will the criminal be executed?"**

 **"Within the week, as God hopes to decree. Still, we must be vigilant. We cannot afford to take any risks with these vermin."**

 **"Indeed..."**

Both Shadows them turned to leave. Once the cost was clear, the team stepped out.

"So, those guys were talking about execution." Mona said. "Supposedly in one week?"

"But haven't criminals been dying every day by the dozens lately?" Skull asked, scratching the back of his head in confusion. "What's so special about this one?"

"Perhaps someone Kira intends to make an example of, or one he feels deserves a worse fate." Fox surmised. "All the more reason to reach the Kanto area."

Joker nodded. He gave a quick look around the area before noticing the train map up on the station platform. Hopping up, he walked over and examined it. _'Let's see...'_ Tracing his fingers, his eyes took in everything the map had. _'We're a little bit away from Aoyama-Itchome now, and we're coming up to the Shibuya station. If we want to reach the Kanto area, we'll have to reach Kamogawa in Chiba. That's going to be a hell of a trek.'_ Frowning, he put a hand to his chin. _'If we take any of the other routes, it'll take forever to get there. If there was a working train, then this would be a hell of a lot easier.'_

"Geh..." Skull groaned. "We're not even remotely close to the tower! Why the hell does Kira have to be so damn far away?! Actually, why couldn't we just use the Nav while in Kanto, anyway?"

Mona shrugged. "That all depends, do you want to appear in the Palace, right in the middle of a large group of Shadows?" he asked, making the muscle of the group wince. "If the surface is heavily guarded, imagine what the tower security will be like. It won't be so easy, though. At the rate we're going, this will take more than a week..."

 **"Kehehehe... Sounds like you guys are having a bit of trouble."**

The group jumped, whirling around to find some kind of monstrosity behind them, vaguely human but only in shape, wearing a skin-tight black suit that resembled some kind of rocker's outfit, complete with thin silvery seams and chains with a black tuft of hair sticking around the collar. It was twice their height, bearing sickly pale skin that looked as if it was being pulled back, given it a gaunt appearance; sunken cheeks at bulging eyes with no pupils whatsoever. Its fingers were thing and elongated, almost like those of a spider. And that was to say nothing of its mouth, which was open in a wide grin and lined with sharp fangs.

 **"So, you must be the Phantom Thieves that made the news recently."** the creature chuckled. **"Nice to meet ya."**

"What the eff?!" Skull cried. Immediately, everyone jumped away and readied their weapons. "A Shadow?!"

The creature let out a laugh. **"Not quite, kid."** it said as it wagged an elongated finger at them. **"The name's Ryuk. Or, at least, that's as close as you humans can get at pronouncing my name right in any language. In your language, my kind would be called Shinigami."**

"Shinigami...?" Mona questioned. "A God of Death?!"

 **"That's right."** Ryuk's smile grew even wider. **"And I must say...I'm quite surprised that you Phantom Thieves really exist. Especially here of all places."**

"And just why are you here?" Joker asked, his hands inching towards his weapons in case a fight broke out. "And how do we know you're not just a Shadow?"

 **"Well, you could try busting out that Persona thing you've got on you, but I doubt it'll work."** the creature replied, surprising them. **"You can't kill a Shinigami, after all."**

"He's right." The thieves looked down at Mona, who stared at Ryuk wearily. His tail was fluffed up, hair standing on end as if feeling he were in great danger. "Take a look at what's hanging on his belt. See that notebook? It's called a Death Note."

 **"Ooh, you're a sharp furball. I like you! That's right, this is my Death Note. Proof that I am a Shinigami."**

Panther frowned. "What's a Death Note?"

 **"A Death Note is also known as the Shinigami's handbook. This one being mine."** Ryuk waved the aforementioned item to prove his point. **"And as for how it works...I'm gonna keep it short and sweet. All I gotta do is picture a face and name in my mind. Then I write that name in the pages of the notebook. After the name is recorded, the person in question immediately dies."**

"Seriously...?"

To say that they were disturbed would be an understatement. Killing a human, just by knowing their name and face? As easy as writing their name down in a little notebook? It sounded scary. They didn't believe this Ryuk monster was a Shinigami, but Joker could tell. His presence was...different. It didn't feel warped or distorted, like the Shadows or the cognitions of the believers that mindlessly roamed the streets. It had a presence, one that made him feel on edge. In the back of his mind, he could feel all of his Personas reacting in a similar manner, alarmed and on edge. On reflex, the grip on his dagger and gun tightened as he stared at Ryuk, the creature's red eyes meeting his gray ones.

"So, what's a Shinigami doing here?" Mona questioned, folding his arms over his chest. "Shouldn't you be in your own world?"

Ryuk snickered. **"Let's just say I got bored and wanted some excitement. Though I have to admit, finding users of that Persona power I've been hearing about lately is one hell of a bonus."** He craned his head, twisting it at an angle that could not be replicated by a human. Skull winced at the unnatural angle while Fox couldn't help but wonder how flexible the creature was. **"Sounds like you guys are in a bit of a bind, trying to get into Light's little home. Do I have that right?"**

"H-how'd you know?!" Panther asked in shock.

In response, the Shinigami laughed again. **"Let's just say Light and I share a little...connection and leave it at that."** he said. **"To be perfectly honest, the only reason we're even meeting right now is because of that fact. I don't usually go into the Metaverse anyways. _It_ really doesn't like Shinigami coming here."**

" _It_?"

 **"Oh, you don't know?"** Ryuk cocked his head, cupping his chin, looking as if he wanted to say something, but then gave another chuckle. **"Eh, nevermind. You'll probably find out, sooner or later. Anyway..."** Ryuk took a step forward, leaning towards Joker with a curious gleam. **"You're trying to get to that tower where Light is, right? The one standing in the middle of this crappy, boring place? I can tell you how you can get there pretty fast."**

The group blinked. Once, twice. Then they shared a look among themselves and turned back to Ryuk, full of skeptism. "...and why would you do that?"

 **"Why, it's quite simple, really."** The Shinigami chuckled. **"I want to see who will catch Light the quickest: L, or you Phantom Thieves. Either that, or whoever dies by Light's hand. Whichever comes first."**

Skull's eyebrow twitched. "Excuse me?! You're telling me you want to help us because it's amusing?!"

 **"Pretty much. Of course, I won't do it for free."** Ryuk said. **"In exchange for information, you have to do something for me."**

Joker leveled Ryuk warily. "...and that is?"

 **"An apple. A nice, juicy apple."** Silence reigned over the platform as the Phantom Thieves stared at Ryuk, completely dumbfounded and blank faced. " **What's that look for?"**

Fox was the first to regain his voice. "...let me see if we have this correctly." he said, feeling a headache swelling. "In exchange for information on how we can reach the tower, you...want an apple?"

 **"Yep. Is it really so strange?"**

"Heck yeah it is!" Skull cried in disbelief. "What the heck does a freaking Shinigami want with an apple?!"

Joker rubbed his temples. He could swear he was feeling a headache coming on. He just knew it. "Alright." he said, his voice surprising calm in spite of the absurdity of this request. "In exchange for getting us a quicker way to Chiba, we need to get you an apple, is that right?" Ryuk nodded. "I think we can arrange that."

 **"Pleasure doing business with ya."** Ryuk chuckled as he waved a hand before he turned around. In front of him, the Metaverse began to twist and bend, creating a mirage that he stepped through. When the mirage vanished and the world around them returned to normal, the Shinigami was gone. As a result, the cold feeling that had been weighing heavily upon the group lessened, leading them all to sigh.

What a truly bizarre and unusual meeting, this was.

* * *

After the group had found another Safe Room, ironically the men's bathroom, much to Panther's chagrin, the group returned to reality, largely exhausted and frustrated for different reasons. "Shinigami exist." Yuskue muttered, his eyes dazzling with excitement. The image of Ryuk, twisted and bizarre as it had been, was etched into his mind perfectly. His hand was flowing across the canvas, creating broad strokes as he attempted to capture the creature's likeness on paper. "We've already become involved in the supernatural, what with our ventures in the Metaverse, but even so, that was a truly strange meeting."

"I'll say." Ryuji said, rubbing his head. "On the one hand, I was scared out of my mind. On the other hand, I feel exhausted. Why in the hell does a Shinigami want an apple?"

"Who knows?" Ann shrugged, twirling one of her pigtails around in her finger. "I think we should be more concerned about the fact that Shinigami are real. And that Death Note..."

"Makes for a hell of a notebook." Ren threw in his two cents, adjusting his glasses.

Ryuji chuckled humorlessly. "Tell me about it." The blonde delinquent then looked at Morgana, who was sitting on the railing with a pensive expression. "You seemed to know a lot about Shinigami, Mona."

"One of the few things I remember." Morgana replied with a serious tone. Despite Ryuk's crazy request, he treated the creature with caution. Not that Ren blamed him. They were dealing with a literal death god. Not something like a meager Shadow or Persona. "Shinigami have been around far longer than humans have. They also don't usually get involved in the affairs of humans, so finding one here is pretty rare. What concerns me, however, is that this Ryuk said."

Morgana looked at Ren, the not-cat's blue eyes meeting his gray ones. "You noticed how he talked about Kira casually, right?"

Ann tilted her head. "Now that you mention it... It was kind of odd." Then a thought occurred to her. One that made her weak in the knees. "Y-you don't think Kira's a Shinigami, do you?!"

Morgana shook his head. "Not possible. Shinigami's mindsets are vastly different from a human's. They're incapable of having a Palace, and if they did have one, theirs would be inaccessible to us because they belong to another realm of existence. That being the Shinigami realm. Palaces belonging to humans are strictly here in the Human world."

Ryuji breathed a sigh of relief, a hand over his chest. The idea of them chasing after a God of Death was a terrifying one, thus the not-cat's reassurances that their target was human was well received. "Don't scare us like that." he practically begged. "Last thing I need is gray hairs."

"Still, Ryuk seemed to know Kira if he knows him casually." Yusuke reminded as he added another stroke. The canvas had a rough sketch of Ryuk, yet the Shinigami's face was not yet added. "Also, there is something that concerns me. Ryuk claimed that, so long as he knew the name and face of whoever he wished to kill, he could use this Death Note to kill someone, is that correct?" Morgana bobbed his head, flicking his tail. "In regards to Kira's victims thus far...their names and faces were all made available to the public, right?"

"I think so." Ryuji answered. However, he didn't understand the implication until he saw Ann's look of horror. When he realized it also, his face drained of color. "W-whoa, hold on a sec. Y-y-you don't think that Kira-?!"

"Has a Death Note?" Morgana finished, tense. "Yes, I believe so. It would explain why a Shinigami is here in the human world, and why it seems to know Light. When a Death Note touches the ground here in the human world, it becomes the human world's property until the Shinigami who owns it can reclaim it. However, if its picked up by a human, the Shinigami have to hang around until either the Death Note's owner gives it back or dies, allowing the Shinigami to take it back."

"So if the user doesn't give it back..."

"Then the Shinigami will stay until their death. Whether it be of natural causes or not."

Ren furrowed his eyebrows, cupping his chin. "But doesn't Ryuk already have a Death Note?"

"Renren's right!" Ryuji gasped. "That Ryk thing already had one!"

"It could be possible that Ryuk had a second Death Note, which is now in Kira's possession." Morgana theorized. "Though it is unusual. Usually, if a Shinigami happens to have a second Death Note, they return it to the Shinigami King - who governs them. Afterwards, that second Death Note is given to another Shinigami, who uses it more responsibly."

"Wait, they have a King?" Ann questioned.

The not-cat nodded. "Yep. And there are also rules to follow, but those aren't important go into right now. If my assumptions are correct, Ryuk probably lost one of his Death Notes, which came into Kira's possession. As a result, Ryuk has to stay until Kira gives it back to him, or he dies." Morgana's ears drooped down heavily as a frown developed on his face. "Either way... This is going to be dangerous. Now we really have to be careful not to let Kira know who we are."

"No shit..." Ryuji sighed, hanging his head low. "Man, what a pain in the ass."

"...Morgana." Yusuke spoke curiously. "How exactly do you know so much about Shinigami?"

"It's one of the few things I remember, unfortunately." he replied, looking at the newest member of the party. "I don't know why I know so much about them, to be honest. I just do."

Ren smiled wryly. Jokingly, he said, "Maybe you're a Shinigami?"

"Maybe!" Ryuji grinned. "Would be hell of funny!"

"Hell no it wouldn't!" Morgana leaped to his feet, hissing. "I'm a human, dammit! We've talked about this!"

Immediately, Ann put a lid on the hostilities. "Come on, you guys." she said, placating Morgana as she petted his head, causing him to purr in delight and push his head further into her delicate fingers. "Let's just get Ryuk's apple and head home for the day. All that walking made my feet sore."

"Yeah. My dogs are barking at me!" Ryuji complained as he pushed himself up. "Actually, that reminds me! Madarame confessed today, didn't he?"

Yusuke nodded, eyes brimming with sadness. Ren gave his friend his sympathies. He wasn't sure how Yusuke was feeling about Madarame. It couldn't be easy, knowing that your father figure had turned out to be such a horrible human being. Or, rather, that you knew what he was like but refused to actually acknowledge it. Now the whole world knew who Madarame really was. On the one hand, Ren was glad that he was now behind bars, as it meant that no one could be hurt by him any longer, but on the other hand, Yusuke was now left by himself. No home to call his own, and people were sure to give him looks of either sympathy or devious intent.

But Yusuke wasn't alone. Not anymore. He had friends with him now. That was what the Phantom Thieves were to him now. Of that, Ren was certain.

"How're you doing, Kitagawa-kun?" Ann asked in worry. "I mean, now that Madarame's...?"

"It won't be easy, that will be for certain." Yusuke replied, shaking his head. "However, now that he's confessed to his crimes, I'm sure no one will suffer because of him anymore." A small smile spread across his face as he bowed his head. "And I owe my thanks to you all. Had I not encountered you on that day, perhaps I would have remained a slave to Madarame and utterly ignorant of the truth. To say that I owe you all my life would be an understatement."

Ren waved a hand in dismissal. "It's fine."

"No, it is not." Yusuke insisted. "I will repay this debt. And the first step is by returning Light Yagami to the brother that once cared for his sister, not this egomaniac that he has become."

"Then we're glad to have you on board with us." Ren answered with a grin. "Now, let's get that apple and head back home."

* * *

The appearance of the Phantom Thieves had not gone unnoticed. Ordinarily, their appearance would have been written off as some rumor, or attention seeking people taking credit for someone's confession and change of heart. Kira's presence in the world, however, had changed such ideas. As far as the police was concerned, if there was a supernatural element involved in any sort of case, then they would take it with the utmost seriousness. And that included the National Police Agency, who were currently collaborating with Kira's greatest enemy at the moment.

The genius detective, L.

Famed for solving many cases within his long career, this unseen agent of justice took on the Kira case out of mere interest, as was the case of many of his other previous ventures. This case was no different than the others. Actually, no, that was lying. This was different than any case the detective had come across before. After all, his opponent was unnatural. Capable of killing criminals all across the world without having to be there himself. L had witnessed this happen first hand when he confronted Kira.

Initially, L cared about the current state of the case and where things stood. Following Madarame's confession on live television, however, and the supposed involvement of a band of rogues calling themselves the Phantom Thieves, well...he couldn't help but feel interested in them as well. To that end, he asked that Soichiro Yagami, the man spearheading the case, put aside small resources into investigating the Phantom Thieves, especially since word quickly spread that they had a fan website. The man had been slightly put off by the request, not that L cared, but he followed through with his request.

And today, the investigation had results.

"Unbelievable..." Aizawa muttered as he stared at the document in his hand. Part of him wondered if he was half-asleep as he was reading the paper before he handed it back to Matsuda. "That Phan-site that people have started to clamor around has been booming. Over forty-six accounts of people willingly giving out personal information about people they want these Phantom Thieves to target. So far, only a handful of those requests have been confirmed when we did some personal investigation."

"I remember hearing about these guys when the Kamoshida case got broadcasted." Matsuda remarked. "Almost everyone at Shujin seems to be admiring them for getting rid of that guy."

"You a fan or something, Matsuda?"

The air-headed officer shrugged his shoulders. "Well, they're better than Kira so far. They haven't killed anyone."

"Yeah, but what if Kira kills these people afterwards?" Mogi asked from the side, clearly unconvinced. "Sure, there hasn't been any word about these people dying of heart attacks, but it's only a matter of time before something happens. Way I see it, these Phantom Thieves are doing more harm than they are good!"

Soichiro rubbed the bridge of his nose, the rings under his eyes much bigger than they were before. When was the last time the man had gotten any sleep, L wondered. As a fellow victim of insomnia, he worried about the man's personal state of health and made a mental note to try and have him take it easy, lest his family worry about him.

"From the list of victims we've compiled, there are certain individuals who have committed crimes that Kira hasn't killed by heart attacks." he said, voice coming out heavily filtered thanks to the monitor to which he was relaying information from. "For example, individuals who are serving a life sentence, currently on death row, or have completed their time in prison and returned to society, with good results. The major affected parties of the Phantom Thieves, Suguru Kamoshida and Ichiryusai Madarame, have openly confessed their crimes and are serving life sentences. Therefore, the probability of them being targeted by Kira is substantially low. About 1.23%. However, it is still possible, so I would like resources diverted into monitoring these two closely."

Sochiro nodded. "And the Phantom Thieves?"

"Kira remains our top priority at the moment." L said firmly. "For now, consider the Phantom Thieves your secondary objective."

"But don't you agree that they are a threat to society?" Mogi questioned.

"While they are an unpredictable element, the fact is that they haven't committed murder yet." the detective reasoned. Behind the monitor in his own little safe place, L gnawed at his thumb, but was careful not to break the skin. Last thing he needed was to start bleeding. "If I am to state who I consider the greater threat, it is Kira. The Phantom Thieves, while acting outside the law, have yet to actually kill someone. However, that does not mean I consider them harmless. If we operate under the assumption that the Phantom Thieves possess a supernatural ability like Kira, who is to say that they might not go any further? According to our investigation, the Phantom Thieves have also recently acquired this newfound capability. They haven't been at this for very long. Hence why we consider them a secondary objective. Capturing Kira takes our top priority."

Matsuda pursed his lips, folding his arms. "...the Phantom Thieves target criminals or bad people, like Kira does, right?" he asked, causing everyone to look at him. "Then, do you think its people that, maybe...the Phantom Thieves might target Kira?"

"That is a possibility. Despite his supposed intentions, Kira is still a murderer. A person like that would be a valid target for the Phantom Thieves due to their supposed righteous cause. Of course, whether or not they would find him is speculative."

Aizawa snorted. "Well, I hope they do find the son of a bitch." he said as he twirled on his chair, going back to his work. "If they can do that for us, then they sure as hell got my support."

"I still don't know about this."

Soichiro closed his eyes and released a deep breath. "Mastuda. Aizawa." he called out. The two detectives immediately straightened their backs and stood at attention. "The two of you will be monitoring this Phan-site. If there's any confirmation of a 'change of heart' I want to be the first to know."

"Yes, sir!"

 _'The Phantom Thieves...'_ L thought, leaning back as he stuck a small candy into his mouth. Since Watari wasn't here, he was just going to have to satiate his sweet tooth with these for now. _'I must admit, you have me curious. At first, this seems like brainwashing, but...such radical changes are not natural. Not even in the case of hypnotism. How are you capable of these changes?'_ He cupped his chin, looking at the marking that was a part of their signature. A top hat with a mask, one eye burning and staring back at them as if warning them of what was to come. _'If you truly do exist, I have to wonder...what does Kira think?'_

* * *

Light looked at his phone, eyebrows fuddled as he leaned in his chair. Scrolling down, he read several lines of comments, some more random than others. However, a few messages had caught his attention and read them several times before he set his phone down. "...I do not like this." he said after a moment. Ryuk, who was chomping down on an apple, looked at Light. "These Phantom Thieves are a nuisance. After Madarame's confession, I looked at this Phan-site of theirs."

"What'd ya find?"

"People are thanking them for putting these people in their place." Light replied, a scowl starting to form. "I thought I could just ignore them, but looking at these... I can't help but feel annoyed. The only one who gets to decide judgement is me, not these phonies."

"So these guys are bruising that ego of yours?"

"It's a mere fact." Light ignored the jab. "I am going to be the God of the new world. For all intents and purposes, I'm deciding what happens to scum like Kamoshida and Madarame. Their sins cannot be overlooked or forgiven. They deserved to be punished. Yet these frauds claim to change the hearts of sinners? Don't make me laugh."

To say that Light was infuriated would be an understatement. He was supposed to be the God of a bright new world, and yet these upstarts appear and defy his rule? Thinking that they could do as they pleased, thinking him wrong? _'I could get rid of them, but the way they can cause this change of heart is too radical for hypnotism or brainwashing.'_ Light thought. _'Is it possible that they have something similar to the Death Note? If so, what?'_ The brunette casted a glance at Ryuk before he frowned and shook his head. _'Knowing Ryuk, he'd probably be withholding information from me, just to make this game interesting. He did keep the whole Shinigami Eyes deal from me.'_

Before he could even attempt to get rid of this newfound thorn in his side, he needed to know how they were able to perform all these feats. The secret behind triggering these changes of hearts. He had to know. Perhaps it would serve him useful in eliminating future scum.

 _'For now, I'll settle with keeping L dancing around with a meaningless message.'_ the deranged teenager decided with a twisted smile, writing one last name in the Death Note for today until the following morning. _'And when this weekend rolls around... I'll show L and the rest of the world what happens when you defy a God!'_

* * *

Unknown to both parties that had begun to pursue the Phantom Thieves, said group was already back in the Palace. They had arrived back at the station platform where Ryuk would be waiting for them. Since the Shinigami had not shown up yet, the group of teens plus one not-cat decided to hold a small meeting, gathered around in a small circle.

"Do we really gotta have a meeting?" Skull complained, bouncing on his knee with a bored look beneath his mask. "I think we already know the plan and everything. Avoid letting Kira know our names and faces, make sure nothing bad happens, take his Treasure and we're golden, right?"

"It isn't going to be that easy." Mona waved a paw around. "As much as I wish it was. First, let's go over what we know so far. We know for a fact that Light Yagami is Kira, and that he has the Death Note. With it, he's capable of killing virtually anyone in the world, no matter where they might be. Second, a Shinigami called Ryuk is hanging around him, but only because Light has his Death Note in his possession. Thankfully for us, Ryuk doesn't seem to be fully on Light's side and he's willing to help us. Third, Kira intends to execute someone during the Weekend. This will be our deadline."

"That's gonna be cutting it pretty close then." Panther said in concern. "Can we really pull this off? I mean, the Treasure will be inside the tower, right? Will we be able to make it in time?"

"We'll _make_ it happen." Joker told her seriously, his gray eyes burning. "Count on it."

Fox smiled thinly. "It seems our Leader has spoken." he said wryly. "I suppose that settles the matter. Thankfully, the Shadows don't appear to be too strong. Our only main concern is their numbers. Kira trusts no one, so the security is far worse than Madarame's and presumably Kamoshida's." Panther and Skull nodded. Having experienced Kamoshida's Palace for themselves, they knew that, between this and their previous targets, Light Yagami's was far worse. "While this only applies to above ground, we will have to reach the tower on foot. We will need to secure a path leading straight into the tower first before we even attempt to try and head straight in."

"That's right, Fox! You catch on quickly!" Mona praised their newest member with a wide smile. "The Shadows will be guarding the area around the tower. And when we send the Calling Card, it'll only get worse. Therefore, before we send the Calling Card, we'll need to secure an infiltration route. Possibly in the Shadow's blindspot."

"So the same plan as before. We sneak in, find the treasure, send the card, then steal it."

Panther sighed heavily. "I doubt it'll be that easy. If it goes the way I think it will, we'll probably have to fight his Shadow." A shudder ran down her spine, just imagining what the Shadow of Light Yagami, of Kira, would look like to them. "I am so not looking forward to that."

Joker nodded in agreement. He wasn't too thrilled by the prospect either himself, but they had to do this. The world around them began to ripple and warp. Looking over his shoulder, Joker saw Ryuk emerge from the center of the twisted warping phenomenon, looking rather amused. More so than when he first appeared before them.

 **"Hey ya. Hope I'm not interrupting anything."** the black-clothed Shinigami greeted lamely. **"So, did you bring that nice juicy apple I asked for?"**

"Yeah. Got it right here." Ryuji said as he tossed the item in hand.

Ryuk caught it, salivating at the item in his hand. **"Oooh~ Looks darn tasty!"** Opening his mouth, wider than any human could possibly do, he tore a giant chunk out of the apple, practically biting it in half. With another bite, the apple was devoured, leaving only the core and stem behind, which he casually discarded. **"That one tasted much better than the one I had earlier."**

"Wait, what?!"

 **"Oh, don't be so dramatic. Apples are to me what booze and cigarettes to you humans."**

Joker smirked. "Must have some pretty nifty withdrawal symptoms then."

 **"Oh, you don't know the half of it. My body goes and bends in different ways. Let me tell ya, it ain't exactly comfortable."** With a laugh, the Shinigami sat down on a nearby fallen concrete pillar, elbows propped on his knees. **"You guys came through on your end, so I'll fulfill my bargain. If only because you guys got Light's undies wrapped up in a bunch!"**

Skull immediately turned pale with worry. "What's that supposed to mean?"

 **"After that old painter guy confessed on the news yesterday, Light decided to look into you guys. I gotta say, I haven't seem him that livid since when L pulled a fast one over him with that whole body double thing!"** Ryuk laughed at the thrilling memory. That had to have been the best part about hanging around Light! Watching him lose his cool. So unbecoming of a human who was trying to play god. And yet, all so wonderfully delightful to witness. A gem, that kid! **"If I were you, I wouldn't show my face to him anytime soon. Unless, of course, you fancy getting killed."**

"Great..." Mona frowned heavily. "So now Kira's looking into us. That sounds bad."

"We'll deal with that when the time comes, I'm afraid." Fox cut in as he looked at Ryuk. "What about the information you promised."

 **"Right, right. You guys are looking for a quick way to get to the Tower from the Chiba area, right? As it just so happens, there's a working train all the way in Shinjuku. Problem is, those Shadow weirdos are guarding it tighter than a drum. And to be extra careful, they shut off the power."** The pale-skinned god of death held up a hand, raising three of his fingers. **"There are three stations. Turn those puppies on, and the train's all yours. Provided you can get it from underneath Light's nose. Warning you now, when he finds out you guys are on his way to him on this end, he's not going to be too happy!"**

"That's right. He would become more paranoid, thus raising security. We would be swarmed by shadows before we could even get close."

Ryuk bobbed his head. **"Yep. And you already saw how above ground looks. Have to admit, even I didn't expect Light's head to be so guarded. Makes you wonder if he even trusts his own family at this point."**

It was a curious thought, Joker realized. So far, all they knew was that Light Yagami was a cruel monster who believed that criminals should die. But what did the more human parts of him think? Did he care about his family? The frizzy-haired leader of the thieves remembered what Sayu had once told them earlier. How Light had basically raised her all her life. Just what did he think about his family, really, with a distorted mind such as this?

"I don't suppose you know a way for us to get into Kanto much easier?" Panther asked. Putting her feminine charms to use, she leaned forward and gave him a cute, pouty face. "C'mon, pretty please~?"

 **"Sorry, sweetheart, but that trick only works for humans."** Ryuk laughed at her attempts, causing her to deflate. **"Well, except maybe for a few odd Shinigami back home. I already gave you a freebie. You're on your own from here."**

"Darn!"

"Thanks for you help, anyways." Joker told him. Gesturing to his friends, they all stood up and made their way back to their current objective. They now had three objectives.

Objective 1: take the functional train in Shinjuku.

Objective 2: take over the stations that are being used to power the train.

Objective 3; find a way to infiltrate the tower without the Shadows knowing them.

Overall, the floor work was planned out. All that was left was to continue writing out the blueprints and finalize everything. Of course, those plans were just the first step to claiming the Treasure. Joker smirked as he and his friends hopped back down to the tracks, making their way to Shinjuku. If things went well, which he highly doubt they would, then this really would be their biggest bust yet. For now, however, he would focus on the task at hand. The Shadows would be guarding that train extensively, so they were going to have to plan this attack carefully. A small misstep, and everything would come right down.

Not that he was worried. Not with everyone and his Personas at his side.

* * *

Aside from L and the National Police Agency, the police force was not the only ones interested in the case of the Phantom Thieves.

Case in point, Goro Akechi. Also known by the public as the second coming of the Detective Prince. Despite being a Highschool student, he has a plethora of solved cases under his belt. It was an impressive feat, given his young age. A feat few could accomplish, but he was more skilled than others. That being said, however, he was nowhere near the same level as L was, nor did he ever brag about his capabilities. If anything, he used them as jokes to lighten tension around others. The police weren't exactly known for relying on youngsters in solving cases.

Sae Niijima, thankfully, had been an exception to the whole thing as she sat with Goro inside a small restaurant with a conveyor belt passing by their table. Between her late twenties to early thirties, she was a beautiful woman with long silver hair coming down to her shoulders and piercing mauve red eyes that put the fear of god into many a criminal over her career as a prosecutor. The black professional suit she wore also helped make her look the part.

In contrast, Akechi looked the part of a meager high school student. A rather simple looking face with chestnut brown hair and red eyes while wearing a beige blazer over a blue vest and dress shirt with black dress pants. Sitting at his feet was a metal attache case with a stylized "A" printed on the front. However, though his appearance looked quite ordinary, his eyes were another story. Eyes that were searching and analyzing you, looking for even the slightest hint of weakness.

"You saw the news the other day, I take it?" Sae asked him bluntly, not even ten minutes after they had both sat down after a waitress led them to their booth. "Madarame confessed his crimes to the public, sobbing wreck and all. It was no different than when Kamoshida confessed his crimes to the student body at Shujin the day of the assembly weeks ago."

Akechi smiled somewhat as he grabbed a piece of sushi from the conveyor belt, throwing it onto his plate. "I was in Shibuya when the announcement was made. On the one hand, I'm a man like that is now behind bars. But on the other hand, I'm conflicted. These Phantom Thieves, if they do possibly exist, have put a horrible man behind bars, even though they acted above the law. There are quite a few laws and regulations when it comes to crimes committed via hypnotism or brainwashing. These two cases seem to imply that some sort of mind-changing technique was involved, but I'm not quite convinced yet." As he grabbed another piece of sushi, he let out a depressed sigh and shook his head. "And then we have the biggest problem. The most obvious one, at that."

"Kira." Sae spat the name as if it were poison. "It's been weeks since L revealed Kira's existence to us, and so far, we still have nothing. All we have to go on is that Kira may be a high school student."

"And that he can supposedly control the actions of someone up to their deaths, as well as manipulate the time of death." Akechi added dryly. "I'll be honest, Sae-san. I very much prefer the Phantom Thieves over Kira any day. At least they haven't killed anyone." Before Sae could open her mouth to retort, Goro raised a hand. "Yet, anyway. It's still quite early to tell for certain. Anyway, why don't we get back to the main point."

Sae looked like she wanted to argue, but after a moment, her shoulders dropped. As much as she wanted to discuss this in greater detail, there were more pressing matters to discuss. "Akechi-kun." she began seriously, narrowing his eyes at the young teenage detective as she crossed her legs. "What do you know about the mental shutdowns that have been occurring over the last few years?"

"As much as I'm currently aware, it is a unusual phenomenon that begun occurring a few years ago." he replied with a shrug. "However, upon examining the patients there hasn't been any distinguishable health impairment. Physically, they are fine, but they are definite mental implications."

"Initially, people assumed that these were just natural causes, but ever since the Kira case began, I've been thinking about things differently." Sae said, taking a small sip from her tea, eyes never breaking away from Akechi's. "Also, there are the victims to consider. Politicians, government officials, business tycoons. Admittedly, in between there are random individuals, but so far, the primary victims have been people of influence."

Akechi's eyes danced, now keenly interested. He leaned forward and propped his elbows on the table, hands folded beneath his chin. "Go on..."

"At first, it was nothing more than a hunch. But the Kira case, and now these Phantom thieves... What if someone is triggering this mental shutdowns?"

"Interesting... So you believe someone is capable of killing someone in a similar method as Kira's heart attacks?"

Sae nodded strongly. "It's a stretch, I admit, but we are dealing with bizarre and seemingly supernatural cases as of late. The Phantom Thieves of Hearts, they're the closest people I can think of who are capable of something remotely similar to the mental shutdown cases."

"Well, I think it's still a feasible possibility that we should keep in mind. We still don't know how Kira perpetrates these Heart Attacks." Akechi reminded the prosecutor. "Though your idea does have merit." Pursing his lips, Akechi leaned in his seat, looking up thoughtfully. "I was actually planning on discussing them in an interview, considering the circumstances."

"Always happy to talk to the media, aren't you?" Sae rolled her eyes before she looked at her watch. "Almost time for me to leave."

"E-eh?" For some reason, Akechi looked incredibly disappointed. "B-but we only just got here. You haven't even touched your plate!"

"I don't have time for luxuries, Akechi." she replied as she grabbed her purse. "I'll see you around." Akechi weakly tried to convince her to stay longer, only to find that she was already halfway across the restaurant.

The teenage detective pouted and slumped in his seat. "Drat. And here I was hoping for some company." he muttered. Out of everyone from work, Sae Niijima was one of the few people he actually found himself close to. Though neither would consider the other a friend, Akechi believed that he knew Sae well enough to be more than just acquaintances, but not quite friends either. He detested the term co-worker. Shrugging at his misfortune, he went to the plate of sushi spread out before him. As he took his first bite, his cell phone rang.

His mood dampened immediately. Today really wasn't his day, was it?

* * *

"Please tell me we're there." Skull practically begged. "My legs feel so freaking numb. I haven't felt like this since when that son of a bitch Kamoshida broke my leg last year!"

"Quiet down!" Mona hissed. "You want to get caught?!"

Joker held up his hand, silencing the two. Wordlessly, he pointed to the sight ahead of him. It was a station platform, though unlike the other platforms they had found, it was in much better shape. There were a few bits and pieces of discarded rubble strewn about, but for the most part, it was almost entirely intact. Shadows were also patrolling the area, keeping a constant vigilance. However, it was what was sitting on the tracks that had everyone's attention. It was a train, fully functional from the look of it. Small bits of rust were on its metal body and a few windows were destroyed, but it was otherwise intact and operable enough.

"It seems we have our means of transportation." Fox mused. "And considerably guarded, at that."

"We could take 'em out right here." Panther suggested. "But we have to get the stations working to power the train, right? Should we do that first before we take the train?"

"But won't these guys know that the stations'll be charged up when the train suddenly starts working?" Skull chimed with a frown. "I say we take these guys out first."

Mona hummed thoughtfully, examining the situation before looking at the white-masked thief. "Joker. What do you think we should do?"

The team leader paused to think. They needed to think this through thoroughly. On the one hand, they could take the train now, but as it was now, it would be useless. On the other hand, they didn't know the location of the three stations necessary to power up the train. They couldn't go in blindly.

Of course, that being said, there was no harm in walking headfirst into a clueless situation, no?

Tugging on his gloves, Joker smiled and turned to the other Phantom Thieves. "We're taking them out."

"Aw sweet!" Skull broke out a grin while Panther and Fox nodded, readying their weapons. "Then let's go!"

Mona shook his head slightly, but made no comment on Joker's decision. The frizzy-haired teen then looked at the platform full of Shadows, his mind racing through different aspects he had gathered. One in particular seemed ready to go. Nodding to himself, he proceeded to leap into full view of the Shadows, knife and gun in hand.

"Evening, boys." he greeted coolly, gathering the full attention of every Shadow present with a smile on his face. "Sorry to say, but we're taking the train."

 **"Kill them!"** The lead Shadow ordered as they rushed the thieves.

Joker's smile grew into a grin as his mask erupted into flames. "Kaguya-Picaro!" The flames extended, creating a feminine figure, garbed in what looked like a recreation of the Shujin Academy uniform, though the face was hidden by a blank mask with glowing eyes and long bunny ears sitting on top of its head, coupled with long flowing hair and a bizarre wreath circling around it, connected to its hands. "Tear them apart!"

With a twirl, the picaresque Persona that was once used by the Seeker of Truth created spears of ice that were promptly sent flying straight at the swarm of Shadows. Fox joined the fray, though rather than sending ice their way, Goemon swung his pipe. Its sharp edge cut through them like butter, though some had come out only injured. Panther amended this issue by calling out Carmen to burn them to a crisp. There were still a few shadows remaining, hanging behind and readying spears of light. Mona was quick to intercept one of them with his slingshot, killing one of them via headshot. Skull had only just managed to summon Captain Kidd when the Power shot an kouha at him, nearly knocking him off of his feet. Grimacing and powering through the pain, his Persona barrelled forward and rammed into the Shadow, plowing it into the wall.

"Joker!"

The frizzy-haired teen nodded and took him, pulling the trigger and ending it with one well-placed shot to the head. It was reduced to muddy black past afterwards. "Done." he said as he holstered his gun. The Persona returned to Skull, forming back into the mask. The two then noticed a small parchment of paper in the muck. "Hm?" He walked over and scooped the paper out of the muck, unfolding it and giving it a look. He grinned. "We got lucky."

"What do you mean?" Skull asked. Joker handed him the paper. "Oh, holy shit! This has a map of the whole subway system on it!" he cheered with a grin. "And it even has the locations of those three stations we need to power on!"

"That's amazing! Now we can figure out the quickest route through the city!" Panther cheered.

Joker handed the paper to Fox, who examined it. "Hm... It seems the stations are spaced evenly, and in the surrounding area. One in Harujuku, another in Ikebukuro, and the last one is in Ichigaya."

"Thank god..." Skull groaned. "My feet still hurt." He then looked at Joker. "So, Leader, what's the plan? We gonna hit up the stations?"

Joker nodded. It would be a good idea to get the train started as soon as possible. Still, after this he fully expected them to be heavily guarded. Nothing to worry about, though, unless the Shadows came in at full force.

 _'Still, all of this is so strange.'_ he thought as they plotted their next move. 'What could have possibly have driven Light Yagami to this extent?' There were a lot of questions that still needed answers. But, for now, he supposed that could wait. They were on a time limit, after all. _'Assuming the execution is still planned within the week, a reasonable timeframe would be the weekend. Today is Tuesday, so we have four days to find the Treasure and send the Calling Card. No pressure there.'_

* * *

Progressing through the Palace had been a rather tiresome affair, especially given how expansive it seemed to be. The less Shadows they had to deal with underground were a welcome relief, but the stations that needed to be powered up were another thing entirely. They were located above ground, much to their chagrin. And as Joker had expected, they were heavily guarded. Taking them out was no easy task, as their numbers were certainly far too numerous. In the end, they had to force themselves to take to two separate visits to the Palace to activate the stations.

It was now Thursday, and the train had finally been booted up, evident by the interior lighting. "Freakin' finally..." Skull groaned as he plopped down on one of the seats. "I'm so exhausted... Why does his Palace hafta be so effin' huge?!"

"At least we won't have much longer." Fox offered him some consolation. "Now that the train is in working order, we can reach the tower. Of course, now the question is how we'll gain entry."

"Won't be easy, that's for sure." Mona nodded, seated across from Skull. "More than that, we need to step up our game. Assuming the deadline isn't Saturday, we only have two more days to find the Treasure and send the calling card."

"I hope Kira doesn't know what we're doing..." Panther murmured in worry. "You guys don't think he'd actually try to kill us, do you?"

Joker sighed. "He did try to kill L that one time." he said, shooting down her hopes.

"I'm afraid he has a point." the resident artist of the thieves pointed out. "Even if Lind L. Tailor was a stand-in, Light Yagami clearly wanted him dead. I believe that goes to show how serious he is, and how far he's fallen."

Skull leaned in. "You think that Ryuk thing might rat us out?"

"Hardly." Mona scoffed. "Based on our encounters with him, he's only in the human world because he wants amusement. Us going after Kira is just another form of entertainment to him. That also works in our favor, since it means he won't get in our way."

"So he's basically a viewer watching us as if it's some sort of show to him? That's effin messed up!" Skull scowled.

"Remember, that he's a shinigami. It's presumable that his line of thought differs from us humans." Yusuke reasoned.

"That, and he admitted as much to us himself that he doesn't really care what we do." He then frowned and cupped his chin. "In truth, I have a few reservations about this whole thing. Targeting Light Yagami isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it's who else is after him that's the problem."

"L..." Panther muttered the name with a concerned look on her face. "I actually read up on him when we took on this job. He's...well, I don't think smart even _begins_ to cover it."

The blonde muscle cocked an eyebrow as he threw his arm over the spine of the couch while Joker worked on starting up the train. "He's that good?"

"He is. Despite no one knowing what he looks like, law enforcement turned to his assistance on cases that have long gone cold." the team's resident artist chimed. "He's also solved every case he's been assigned. Including cases that are considered to be utterly bizarre. If we manage to change Light Yagami's heart, we risk earning his attention." Fox's tone turned suddenly somber. "Also, there has been something on my mind as well. If we change his heart, and he turns himself in...wouldn't that leave Sayu Yagami alone?"

The only sound after that was the train finally starting up. Joker closed his eyes, knowing why they had all turned silent. Sayu's father loved them dearly, but he was preoccupied with work. And they could only imagine what the both of them would feel if Light suddenly turned himself in. Given how serious his crimes were, the kid would be given a death sentence that Soichiro Yagami would have no choice but to fulfill. In doing so, a father would lose a son, and a sister would lose a brother.

Admittedly, Light dying was only if they proved that the Death Note could actually kill someone. The idea that a notebook could kill someone just by knowing what they looked like and having their name written was crazy, no more believable than a world created by human thought.

Still, what other choice did they have? Risk someone losing their life, or putting a teen and destroying a family in the process?

It was certainly a cruel choice. But even so, Joker wasn't about to let someone like this roam free. Light had to be stopped.

* * *

The train arrived in the Kanto Region at last. The train ride was a sordid and somber affair, with only Joker speaking as he discussed what they should expect when they arrived. Prepared for the worst, they ventured above ground and exited the station. When they did, they were greeted with a giant white tower, reaching all the way to the sky.

"Damn..." Skull whispered in awe. "This thing's even bigger up close."

Panther took a quick glance around the area, noting how the area was jam packed with cognition of worshipers. Some ventured into the tower with lit candles, others bowed their heads in reverence. "It doesn't seem like there are Shadows around." she noted in confusion. "Why is that?"

Mona looked at the tower, eyes narrowed. "Probably because they're inside." He took a quick sniff of the air, and his eyes widened. "Oooooh! We're close to the Treasure! I bet you anything that the Treasure is right at the top!"

"At the top?!" Skull gawked. "Are you freaking serious?, we gotta climb all the way up there! That'll take forever! We ain't got time for that shit!"

"What do you suggest we do then? Scale it?"

"Ugh... Can't there be an elevator or something?"

"Considering that this place is a Palace, and therefore doesn't adhere to normal rules..." Fox mentioned. "Perhaps the inside of the tower is smaller than the outside?"

"One way to find out." Joker went on ahead, one hand in his coat clenching his combat knife and the other holding his gun.

"Then let's go!" Mona cried as they snuck inside the building.

"...huh. Whaddaya know? It is smaller than the outside." Skull admitted.

And only barely guarded at that. Dealing with the Shadows was a bit tricky, given the absurdely small space, but they did manage to make their way through it, even happening upon a Safe Room along the way. Then they reached the top of the tower, however, they were greeted by a positively breathtaking view.

"Whoa..."

"Is...is this heaven...?"

"Such...such magnificence! So utterly breathtaking!"

Down below, the world seemed so dead and rotting. But here, at the top, the world had changed. The sky was bright azure, with birds flying across the clear sky. Rainbows and faint hummings danced in the air with them. Cloudy skies covered the world below, as if shielding such beautiful sights from the ugliness below. The followers had all bowed their heads and kneeled, for in the center of the platform they stood on was a hazy white mist.

"There's the Treasure." Skull said before taking another look around. "Damn... This place is freaking cool. I mean, I know it looks like shit on the ground, but damn. If this is what heaven looks like, I know where I'm going after I die."

Fox nodded strongly. "I wish I had my canvas or sketchbook with me." he muttered. "I must burn these sights into my memory!"

"This must be Kira's "paradise"." Joker commented as he gazed at the marvelous atmosphere. "Likely his ideal world once he's killed off all the criminals."

 **"You would be correct, criminals."** Alarmed, the group whirled around to find a black cloaked shadow standing before them, enveloped in a red aura. **"Bask in the glory of the heavenly kingdom, for it will be the last you will ever see of it!"** It spasmed before it exploded into black and red mass that quickly formed into a solid shape. Brass steel skin, enveloped in a navy blue toga with a halo above its head and steely white wings behind its back. **"For the glory of God, I shall smite you!"**

"Ah, hell! Here we go again!" Skull cursed. "Captain Kidd!" The ship-riding Persona charged forward, aiming its cannon at it and releasing a volley of thunder. The Shadow dodged it with ease and countered by dashing forward with surprising speed to deliver a haymaker to the Persona and throw it to the ground. Skull cursed and found himself thrown to the floor as well. "Shit!"

Fox quickly went to his ally's aid, hoisting him up before taking aim with his rifle, going for one of its eyes in the hopes of blinding it. However, the Shadow proved to be quite agile, evading it each shot with ease before it raised its palm, releasing a burst of white light at him. Goemon emerged from blue flames, batting the spear of light away with its pipe before sending a spear of ice in return. Victor staggered as it struck its shoulder, but the damage was rather miniscule. Not a dent in its plated skin.

"Panther, let's take him from both sides!" Mona called out to his target of affection. Panther nodded and raised a hand over her mask, summoning Carmen to her side. Morgana likewise summoned Zorro and the two sent their own respective blasts at it. It easily evaded the flames and blocked Zorro's saber with its forearm before knocking it back and returning the attack with a gust of wind. Being resistant to wind-based attacks, Zorro and Mona barely took any damage and countered easily with a fist, blowing right into its chest. It seemed to have some effect, as the armor bent beneath the strike. "Joker, now!"

The frizzy-haired teen nodded and called on yet another Persona. "Ares!" A red-skinned warrior with a golden helm over its face and sword in hand emerged, swinging its blade down upon the metal angel. Victor blocked it, but it buckled beneath the force of the blow. In an attempt to put some distance between them, Victor rammed its fist into Ares helm, blowing it back. Joker winced, feeling as though he had been struck. "Tch..."

 **"Perish, Heretics!"** Victor cried as a mass of light gathered in its palms.

"Joker, watch out!" Mona cautioned. "He's charging up!"

"Got it!" The leader searched through the sea of his soul, calling forth a Persona what will be more than enough to handle the charged light attack. Archangel emerged at his side, garbed in thin chain mail with a silver helm and rapier. At that moment, Victor released a blast of white hot light that struck the Persona in the center of the chest, causing it to disperse almost immediately. Joker gasped, feeling a bursting pain in his chest, suddenly finding himself kneeling on the ground. He struggled to breath. He felt unbearably hot right now.

"Joker!" Panther cried before her features twisted into a snarl. "Oh, you bastard! I'll burn you into a crisp! Carmen, dance!" The voluptuous Persona flicked one of her flunkies forward and sent a fireball flying, followed by another. And another. A series of fireballs were sent straight for Victor, but the Shadow took the hits head on, receiving not a single burn or scratch. Her eyes widened in panic. "Oh, crap! Fire doesn't work!"

"Then how 'bout this?!"

Captain Kidd barreled forward, straight out of nowhere and rammed the ship into the bronze angel. It was sent flying and struck the pillar behind it, causing it to crack. Before it could have the chance to recover, the Shadow was struck by electricity, causing it to spasm uncontrollably before it went limp for only a moment. Skull high-fived Fox and went to Joker's aid while the artist narrowed his eyes. "Goemon, come!" In a fluid motion, a stream of light and silver cut through the Shadow. The bronze plating broke, and black liquid seeped.

 **"Guh...!"** Victor wheezed. **"Insolent fools... You would dare spill my blood on this holy ground?! I shall see to it you hang with the condemned!"**

As Panther and Fox kept the Shadow busy, Mona bounced over to Joker and Skull. "Skull, how is he?"

"I'm fine." Joker gritted his teeth. "It just hurts like hell."

"Well, least we know thunder works on his ass." Skull snarked and pulled his friend up to his feet. "You still good to go?" The frizzy-haired teen nodded. "Alright, c'mon. Let's go wreck this bastard!"

"Then let's finish this!" Joker declared as he switched personas. "Izanagi Picaro!" Victor went in to intercept Joker before the Persona could be fully manifested, but Zorro and Goemon blocked its path. Captain Kidd swerved behind it, taking aim with its cannon and about to shoot it in the back when it suddenly pulled up to avoid the blast. Before it could get very far up, however, Carmen's whips lashed out and snatched it up out of the air by the neck and threw it down to the ground.

 _"Cross Slash!"_

Streaks of lightning came down upon Victor, who could nothing to protect itself from the thunder-sheathed blade. It recoiled from the strike and fell down to it's knee, armor shattered and broken. **"Y-you... Bastards..."**

Joker smirked evilly as everyone readied their weapons. "Everyone! We're going ALL OUT!"

The Phantom Thieves moves like blurs, striking the shadow aggressively from all angles.

Victor could do nothing but feebly attempt to defend himself, yet no matter how hard he tried, they call at him from different angles. After what seemed like an endless bout of slaughter, the group ceased their activitives and emerged behind him. Skull comically landed on his face before he pulled himself up and grinned like a maniac, holding up his hand which had his pinky, index and thumb sticking out. Fox landed elegantly beside him with his hand over his mask. Panther landed next, a little ways away from the boys and spun in place before putting a hand to her cheek, grinning. Joker and Morgana landed the last, in between them with the latter on his shoulder, grinning and holding what looked like a cigar.

Joker smirked as he tugged at his glove.

 _ **"Show's Over."**_

The bronze Shadow quivered before black spews of fluids erupted from its body, and unceremoniously fell to the ground, reduced to black and red muck.

* * *

 _[You have returned to the real world. Thank you for your hard work.]_

The ruined world of Light Yagami's Palace was washed away, returning the Phantom Thieves to the walkway in Shibuya. As always, not a single person seemed to notice how a group of teenagers, plus a cat, strangely appeared out of thin air without anyone noticing. "Damn that was long..." Ryuji groaned, rubbing his shoulders. "Still, least we got an infiltration route to the Treasure now."

"Indeed." Yusuke smiled. "And what a fine view it had. I wonder if that is how Heaven will look when its our time to pass on."

"You know, it kind of makes me wonder how someone screwed up can think of something so beautiful." Ann mentioned. "I know Light thinks he's doing well and all, but..."

Ren nodded. "How did he become so distorted in the first place, anyway?" he asked.

Morgana hummed. "If I recall from one of your classes, that war hawk Ushimaru said something along the lines of absolute power corrupting absolutely. Perhaps Light initially wanted to do good, but the Death Note warped his mind to the point where it is now." He then gave a sad sigh, tail losing its enthusiasm. "But who knows? Maybe Kira was there all along, just waiting for the opportunity to come out."

"Like a hidden side of Light Yagami?"

"It's possible. Maybe the Death Note was the excuse it needed to come out and show its true colors." Morgana shrugged. "Who knows? Whatever the case, we can send the Calling Card at anytime now. Of course, we'll probably need a plan of action before we plan it out in advance. The Shadows will be on high alert, more than ever once we send it, meaning the tower will be flooded with guards. We'll have to find a way to distract them, and then head straight for the Treasure."

"I think I can handle that part." No doubt he would have to haggle Iwai for some realistic explosives. After all, the man had let him use his backroom on occasion to make a few odd tools. A false alarm, for starters. He was still waiting for the opportunity to make it. "Yusuke. Can you handle the card again like before?"

The artist smiled. "I'll make it as grand as possible."

"Damn right it should." Ryuji grinned. "I mean, dude. We're about to take down Kira! KIRA!"

"Quiet down!" Ann hissed. "You want to get the wrong attention, you idiot?! Think about where we are!"

"R-right, sorry!"

Ren chuckled wryly. What a pair those two made. They went their separate ways shortly afterwards, ready to tackle what was to come. Things would be tense, no doubt, when it came time to send the calling card. Unknown to him at the time, however, a pair of red eyes had been watching him and his group carefully, with a hint of curiosity and intrigue.

"Ren Amamiya, Ann Takamaki, Ryuji Sakamoto, and now Yusuke Kitagawa..." a brown-haired girl muttered the names, memorizing them for a later date. "What a strange pair you all make."

* * *

By either odd luck or coincidence, Ren met Sayu Yagami while on his way back to Cafe Leblanc. What she was doing in Yongen-Jaya, he had no idea. However, she had come out of the supermarket, carrying a bag of groceries when she was suddenly approached by a man in a suit. Judging by how red his face was, he was obviously drunk.

The scene was oddly familiar, not to mention haunting. It was like watching a repeat, only this time, Ren had only barely hesitated before he found himself doing the same thing he had before. Of course, unlike before, he had backup in the form of Sojiro, who had also been in the area and found the man harassing Sayu.

"Jeez, kid..." Sojiro groaned as Ren took a seat at the counter while Sayu fidgeted, staring at her cup with a hint of odd fascination. "You do remember what happened the last time you got involved in that kind of thing, right?"

Ren nodded. It was the reason why he was even here at Cafe Leblanc and under his care in the first place. That being said, "I just did what I felt was right." he said with a cheeky smile. "Besides, you were there to step in, weren't you?"

"Um..." Sayu dipped her head low. "I'm sorry if I caused you some trouble."

"What?" Sojiro stared at her for a moment before he shook his head. "Oh, no. You're far from a problem, miss. It's just this kid's in a bind enough as is. Your coffee is on the house."

"Thank you, Mr...?"

"Sakura. Sojiro Sakura."

Sayu bowed her head. "Nice to meet you. I'm Sayu Yagami."

"Yagami?" The barista seemed surprised. "You wouldn't happen to be Sachiko-chan's kid, would you?"

"You know my mother?" Sayu asked with wide eyes. Ren raised a brow as well from the revelation.

"Yeah. We were friends way back when." Sojiro nodded.

"It was when she and Chiro got married." As if remembering the memory with fondness, a warm smile spread across the man's lips. "Heh. First time I ever saw the poor guy so embarrassed. How is Chiro doin' these days, anyway?"

Sayu was still briefly stunned, but recovered and smiled back. "He isn't home often because of his job, but he is doing well." she told him. "He's still a big worrywart."

"I imagine." Sojiro's smiled dimmed a bit afterwards. "I...heard what happened to Sachiko-chan. You have my sympathies."

"At..." Sayu's voice cracked slightly. "At least she didn't die in pain. That's what counts, right?"

"I suppose that's one way of looking at it." Sojiro sighed. "I apologize for bringing it up. I didn't mean to bring up bad times."

The conversation delved into silence afterwards. Rather awkward at that, as Sayu was only now drinking her coffee. Sojiro sighed again and chose to instead to go to work and clean up. Ren took a glance around the shop. Thankfully, there weren't many patrons around. He leaned on the table and spoke in a hushed tone so Sojiro wouldn't hear him. "You okay?"

"Huh?" Sayu blinked, suddenly remembering that he was sitting next to her. "Oh, yes. I'm fine." She paused as she looked at Ren, then her eyes widened in realization. "Wait, aren't you...?"

He nodded. "They've taken your request." he told her, making her eyes brighten. "In a few days, Light Yagami should be back to normal."

"Really?!" She lowered her voice, realizing that Ren probably didn't want his guardian to overhear him. "That's wonderful!"

Morgana poked his head out of the bag, eyes forlorn. "I doubt she'd say that if she knew what will happen once his heart is changed."

Indeed not. Ren imagined that it would be hell. Hence why he informed her as such. "If his heart is changed, you're going to have to be there for him." he told her, confusing her. "Once his heart is changed, he will realize what he's done. And when he does, he'll likely turn himself over to the police. Even if he confesses his crimes, and if they do take him seriously..."

"...They'll arrest him..." She concluded. She felt a knot form in the pit of her stomach. Her brother would confess to his crimes as Kira, which would most likely give him the death penalty.

And if that happened...

Her hands curled. Wordlessly, she nodded. It wouldn't happen. It couldn't happen. Sure, her brother had killed people, but deep down, she knew a good person was in there somewhere! She couldn't let this happen.

She already lost one family member. She couldn't afford to lose another.

* * *

Saturday had arrived. The day before the day Light would kill Raye Penber, and hopefully, any other CIA agents that caused would cause him trouble in the near future. Everything was already prepared, from how Raye Penber would die to the papers that would bring an end to the rest of the agents.

"I wish I could see L's face when he sees the reports." Light smirked darkly as he tucked the papers away in a small folder. It was the same as the one he used for school, so the chances of his family looking at it were low. Just to be safe, he packed them away in his backpack. "All that's left now is to prepare for tomorrow."

 **"You seem excited."** Ryuk idly commented as he appeared next to the teen.

"Of course I am. I am one more step toward my goal, and another criminal will bite the dust."

Criminal, he said. Hah! Oh, how amusing this kid was. Ryuk really did think he struck the proverbial jackpot with Light. Who knew this was the end result of someone getting the Death Note? Just how sick of society was this kid in the first place? Well, not that he really cared. So long as Light made things interesting for him, he was content with kicking back and watching things play out. Especially given how things were going: three groups, all after the same person.

Of course, Ryuk had no doubt that Light would no doubt go after the Phantom Thieves once he was finished with L, or try to eliminate them once he was close to him. He did see them as a threat. And the thing was, he had no idea how right he was! Those kids were in his Palace, no doubt so close to the root of his desires. What would happen afterwards would indeed be interesting to see. Assuming they succeeded in changing Light's heart, what would happen? Would Light turn himself over to the police? Hand over the Death Note? So many things.

On the other hand, however, it would also deprive him of his fun. Without Light killng criminals and participating in his cat and mouse game with L, things would get boring real quick, even with the Phantom Thieves around.

Oh, what to do...

A knock came to Light's door as he hid the folder away in his backpack and prepared to head out, having made plans with his classmate. All in order to keep up his ruse. "Hey, Light, you there?" Sayu's voice came from behind the door. "You got a letter."

"A letter?" Light raised an eyebrow. Strange, he didn't know he was getting anything in the mail. Well, aside from the usual junk mail. It was probably another scam or something. Still, it could be important. He got up and opened the door. "Who's it from?"

"Don't know. It doesn't have a return address."

That only raised Light's confusion more as he took the letter from his sister, who seemed oddly anxious and worried about something. Maybe it was an upcoming test? Well, he still had some freetime, so maybe they could have a study session together. Plus, their father was supposed to be coming home tomorrow, so maybe they could have a party once he was done with business. He closed the door behind him and grabbed his letter opener from his desk. As he examined the letter to find anything out of the ordinary, he cut it open and pulled out the contents.

Inside was a vibrant red card with a logo. One eerily familiar, as it resembled the one that was on TV only a few days ago. A mask with a flaming eye and a tophat, with the words "TAKE YOUR HEART" written in cut newspaper format. Along with it was a black letter with red writing.

Ryuk laughed when he read the contents. So much so in fact that he found himself flailing on the floor. Were he human, he would have been deprived of oxygen. Light completely ignored him, in favor of being utterly terrified and outright livid.

The letter read:

 _Dear Light Yagami, the corrupt Demiurge of ceaseless pride_

 _You kill criminals under the guise of Kira, believing yourself to be God. You think you have the right to decide what justice is. However, you are no different than the criminals you murder. Your actions are despicable, your hands stained in blood like those you kill, and it is time for you to pay the price._

 _We will make you confess your sins with your own mouth. We shall take your distorted desires without fail._

 _Sincerely, the Phantom Thieves of Hearts_

For a moment, Light was utterly put into silence and stillness. Then he exploded, face contorted into something livid and nightmarish as he tore the letter to pieces. "What kind of bullshit is this?!" He snarled. "Demiurge?! Prideful?! Me?! Those bastards!"

How dare they?! How dare they accuse him of being evil?! He was the one trying to save this world! He was trying to make it better! And yet, these bastards, who've barely done a thing, think that he's the evil one here?! That was it! To hell with L! He was going to kill these bastards in the worst way possible!

In the depths of his heart, a pale of yellow eyes opened, baleful and yet full of frigid cruelness. "Fine, then. You want to overthrow God? Then give it your best shot, you foolish sinners..."

 **PALACE ALERT LEVEL: 99%**

* * *

 _"If we win, Kira is evil. If Kira wins, he is justice." -Light Yagami, "Death Note"_

* * *

 _ **Days Until**_  
 _ **Raye Penber's Death**_  
 _ **1**_

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTES:** Special thanks go to Daemon of Wrath for helping me write this chapter. His assistance was much appreciated, and it was fun working with him.

Apologies for the late chapter. I was busy with work and my old computer died of old age. Rest in peace, my electronic friend.

And sorry if the Palace exploration felt rushed and the overall design was weak. Exploration is truly not my cup of tea. In fact, I believe it is one of my weaker writing skills and attempts. Especially since how i was rushing the whole thing.

That being said, we're gearing up for the finale. This story will continue after Light Yagami's arc, however. I have special plans in mind.

* * *

 **REVIEWS**

superpierce: I'm very glad, and most filler chapters I plan on doing are requests. For clarification, if the chapter didn't already make it obvious, this takes place after Madarame's confession, but before Makoto confronts them.

ptl: Indeed. Thankfully, the Death Note will only have limited influence... At least as far as Light is concerned. The Phantom Thieves still have no idea that there are others who have Death Notes, including a yandere and crazy fanatic. And considering Kira's actions, the public is either supportive or wary of the Phantom Thieves. And, of course, Kira and the PT are under investigation as shown by L. Who knows? Other forces may still have a role to play.

victorsan12345: Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Just please don't start a comment war. -_-

treyalexander63917: I'm excited for this as well, especially since I'm writing all of this. Trust me, things will get quite heated. Especially when the epic confrontation takes place between "God" and the Phantom Thieves.

RoboVolcano4: While he hasn't declared the Phantom Thieves dangerous (yet), he is wary of them. I will say this, however. As we progress through the story, his opinion of them will change. For better or worse, however, depends on the thieves themselves.

Luckenhaft: Well, thanks to Kira, the public is all the more cautious and excited about the Phantom Thieves. On the one side, you have the Kira supporters. On the other side, you have the L supporters (who are seemingly the minority) and in between are the PT supporters.


	3. Light Yagami - Demiurge

_"Above...? You mean beneath. You're a goddamn demon obsessed with your sick desires!" -Ann Takamaki, "Persona 5"_

* * *

 **WARNING LETTER**

* * *

The Palace was tinged in red. The followers that once paved the streets with white and herded towards the tower were now armed. In hand were small knives and torches. The sky had become dim, with rain spilling out into the streets. The sick and twisted world that embodied what Light Yagami saw the reality around him had turned dark and dreary.

"Great..." Skull groaned as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Along with Shadows, we gotta deal with mobs now."

"They'll be easy to avoid until we reach the tower." Fox said before he turned to Joker, his face scrupilous. "By the way, Joker... If I may ask, how did you acquire explosives?"

"They're fake." Morgana said quickly before anyone could get the wrong idea. Not that they would actually care, considering they all looked up to their leader. "At least in the real world. Here, they're as real as can be, which means you'll have to be careful handling them. And yes, I'm looking at you, Skull!"

"Mona, you little..."

Joker cut them off. "Enough." he said. Now was hardly the time to bicker. Especially when they were out on a deadline. Their opponent was right before them. There was no time for hesitation. He tugged on his gloves, grip on his weapon tight. However, inside his heart there was a thump of excitement. Slowly, a smile made its way to his face as he strode past his team of thieves. "Showtime, everybody!"

"It's a bit early to say this, buuut~" Mona cheered as he bounced next to Joker. "This'll be the heist of the century! Look alive!"

The Heist to steal Light Yagami's heart had begun.

* * *

CHAPTER 03: Light Yagami - "Demiurge"

* * *

The plan was relatively simple. Enough so that, initially, Joker doubted it would work until he saw the explosion go off in the distance as he and the others hid in the corner of a small shop. Plumes of smoke and flame rose in the distance, and like moths the Shadows were already en route, moving away from the tower. Streaks and clouds of winged angels were in pursuit to investigate, but all they were going to find was a demolished and ruined train reduced to smoldering burning metal wreckage.

He had to admit it. He had really outdone himself. It made him wonder how in the hell he was going to top this. Kira was the closest one could get to modern day infamy, especially given how he had put every serial killer in history to shame up to this point. Then again, much of that could be attributed to the Death Note. It was still hard to believe that such a thing existed, though given what Ren Amamiya and his friends did for a living these days, it wasn't much of a stretch.

The ride to the Tower was a short affair, though avoiding the mob of believers was a bit trickier than they had expected. They were forced to stick to the rooftops and alleyways to steer clear of them. It was nothing short of disturbing, really, to see how twisted someone's mind was. Kamoshida and Madarame were one thing, but Light Yagami? Joker wasn't sure if his heart had always been this distorted, but it was vastly disturbing. No one should think themselves as a god.

Thinking back on Morgana's words from yesterday, how perhaps this disturbing side of Light's had always been there, just waiting for the right opportunity to surface, Joker wondered how he could have developed such feelings. It wasn't natural in the slightest, and it painted an otherwise murky picture to what Sayu implied. Or was Kira born from the stress Light suffered from looking after his younger sister at such a young age after his mother died, and his father rarely ever home? The more he thought about it, the more confused he became.

Joker then shook his head when he realized that, at the end of the day, he wouldn't get his answers. Or perhaps he would, but only from Light Yagami's own mouth. He was still worried that Light would turn himself into the police, but Morgana had mentioned something worth noting. Even if Light confessed, and unless he demonstrated the power of the Death Note to verify what it could do, the police wouldn't take him seriously. They'd just write him off, or at the very least put him under careful investigation, which would also bring attention to the group, low the possibility was. Morgana was rightfully paranoid about L, thinking that if Light came under investigation, they would discover the calling card and the fact that Sayu had personally requested they steal his heart.

It was worrying, especially given how Joker was in a bind as it is, given he was on probation. For now, all he could do was wait and pray things would go smoothly.

A few minutes later, the group had arrived at the tower. As they expected, it was guarded tighter than a drum, but to their delight, security wasn't as suffocating as they had thought. Many believers had kneeled before the tower in reverence while the Shadows patrolled the ground, searching keenly for anyone who dared to enter. "Okay, real talk." Skull said. "How do we bust inside without getting noticed?"

"He has a point." Fox agreed with the blonde brawler. "If we concentrate on fighting the Shadows and protecting ourselves from those cognitions, we will end up considerably drained of energy before we confront Light Yagami's Shadow."

Morgana huffed. "We could always just wipe 'em out." he said nonchalantly, as if the thought of killing someone, made of pure thought they may be, was inconsequentual. "They're not real in the first place. Panther already killed a cognition."

"That was different!" Panther quickly retorted, cheeks burning in indignation. She did not wish to be reminded of that god awful outfit Kamoshida had thought her up in. "It was in the heat of the moment!"

"Besides, ain't that kind of effed up?" Skull said with a frown. "I mean, sure. Like you said, they ain't real, but dude. They still look like people."

"It was just a suggestion." Mona said before he looked back at the crowd. "Hm... The cognitions all seem to be praying, but there are a few of them entering the tower. If we could procure a cloak for ourselves, perhaps..."

A light bulb danced above Joker's head, prompting the thief to grin. "I think I have an idea..."

* * *

"I can't believe that worked..." Skull muttered in disbelief. Despite their outlandish clothes and the fact that they were all wearing masks, not a single one of the cognitions or Shadows noticed them. "I mean, come on! That was way too freaking lucky!"

"How so?" Fox inquired.

Underneath Joker's cloak, Morgana groaned. "How 'bout the fact that the cloaks were just the right size to conceal pretty much everything?" he said, flicking his tail. "Had it been a few sizes smaller, someone would have noticed something was wrong." His blue eyes hardened a moment later, glaring straight ahead. "I hope you all are prepared for this. Given to what we've seen so far, we have no idea what Kira's Shadow will be like."

"Ah, come on." Skull grinned. "What's the worst that could happen?"

A moment of silence hanged in the air. Joker could only sigh and try his best not to facepalm with his mask on. "...you just had to jinx it."

"What? What'd I say?!"

As far as Joker was concerned, that phrase was practically bad luck just speaking it. Anything that can go wrong will go wrong. And right now, things going south was the last thing that needed to happen. Walking through the crowds and entering the tower was nerve wracking, especially while under the watchful eyes of the Shadows. His hand never left his side, fingers wrapped around his knife and ready to launch into battle. Even his Personas felt like they were antsy. At the halfway point, the group had found that the Shadows' numbers had all but dwindled to minuscule numbers, and had chosen to discard their cloaks once they found the steady stream of believers had waned.

They wisely chose to take out any Shadows they came across as quickly as possible before they could raise any noise. Soon, they reached the top of the tower and once again found themselves staring at a beautiful scenery of an azure sky and soft hymns.

However, there was a newfound difference: the believers, despite knowing they were there, remained bowed and postrated themselves before a singular figure. A young man wearing a white button-up shirt, black pants and dress shoes with brown-hair. Like all Shadows, he sported cold yellow eyes, and surrounding him was an aura of malevolence.

 **"So, you've come..."** the Shadow of Light Yagami, Kira, spoke in a cool and even tone. He didn't sound the least bit surprised. **"I was wondering when you misguided fools would arrive."**

Skull scoffed. "Misguided?" he said, tapping his weapon on his shoulder. "Looks who's talking! You're no different than the people you put to death with that fancy notebook of yours!"

 **"Hm, so you know about even that."** Kira observed with a slight frown. **"How unfortunate. I suppose that's all the more reason why you should be put to death like all the others."**

"And that's precisely why you're a hypocrite." Fox rebuked coolly. "From what we've observed and heard, you only want to make a world that adheres to people who've done no wrong at all, and yet you wish to rule it like a tyrant. You even go so far as to kill anyone who would get in your way. How does that make you any different than the men you've murdered?!"

 **"Because I'm Japan's number one Honors Student."** Kira responded without missing a beat. His response stunned the Phantom Thieves due to his calm demeanor and straight face as he said it. **"Those that I've killed are rotten criminals. Scum that isn't needed in this world. Not even the justice system can keep them all detained. Some manage to evade the law and escape punishment. Others use their connections to escape imprisonment only to return to their villainous ways. If anything, I'm saving humanity by cleansing it from its filth. I am making a perfect world!"**

Morgana's lips thinned. "Hearing about it is one thing, but seeing it... How distorted is he?" he muttered under his breath.

Joker had to agree. Hearing such words spilling from his mouth was chilling. "Can't deny that." Joker said, a hand at his hip. "A lot of people are scum." Like the bastard who put him on probation in the first place, as well as the woman who didn't do a damn thing to stop him either. "But just 'cause you're one of the best in Japan doesn't make you a god."

"You were only able to do all this because of that Shinigami that hangs around you and that notebook!" Panther said fiercely. "You're not god! You're as human as the rest of us. Don't you realize what'll happen if someone realizes what you're doing?! Think about your family for God's sake!"

At this, the brunette scoffed. **"How naive."** The Phantom Thieves bristled at this. " **The whole world knows what I'm doing is righteous. Why do you think the public speaks more highly of me than the police, who are incompetent at their jobs? Think about this for a moment. Say a man murdered your mother, father, sibling, child or friend, and was allowed to get away without so much as a single punishment. How would you feel?"**

"Obviously, outraged." Fox snorted. "But that gives you no reason to kill someone. Like our leader says, simply because you're an honor student doesn't give you the right who decides who lives and dies. And going by your set of rules, not even your own family would be exempt from your rules!"

 **"So long as they stay out of my way, they can live in the new, peaceful world I will make."** the Shadow said in kind. **"My father is a police officer, so I'm certain he understands to a degree that what I'm doing is right. And my sister will thank me for what I'm doing once she realizes that she's better off without having to look over her shoulder in fear whenever someone decides to cause chaos."**

The blonde male of the group gritted his teeth. "You're seriously sick in the head!" he shouted angrily. "How many people have to die before you get it through your sick skull that you don't have the right to decide what's right or wrong!"

Kira smirked. **"And you call me the hypocrite. I know about you thieves, stealing the hearts and turning corrupt men to a more straight path. You say I have no right, but wouldn't the same go for you? Tell me, what gives you the right to decide who deserves to be changed?"**

"For one, we're not egomaniacs." Joker answered. "And secondly, we don't have a right. But we do it because we can. No one else is willing to step up to the people who torment others. And unlike you, we don't kill."

Kira stared at Joker for a moment before he sighed and shook his head. **"It seems we'll be at this all day with this pointless banter. If you are serious about defying me, I will bring an end to you."** The Phantom Thieves tensed and shifted into their combative stances, but the Shadow paused for a moment. **"However... I cannot deny what you do has some merit. Why not join me? If you lend me your power-"**

 _*BANG!*_

A bullet whizzed past his cheek. A stinging graze formed shortly after the bullet made contact with the skin. Kira stared at Joker in shock, the latter holding his model gun in hand. "Sorry, but no thanks." the frizzy-haired teen told him. "We're here for one thing, Kami-sama. And you've already read our calling card. We'll get straight to the point: we're taking your Treasure!"

The air turned cold. Suddenly, the bright azure sky above them dimmed, consumed in dark angry clouds. Loud thunderclaps raged inside their ears. A dark aura began to swirl around Kira's body, his yellow eyes filled with murderous intent. **"How dare you...!"** he snarled, his handsome visage twisted into something nightmarish. **"You dare aim your weapon at me?! At God?!"**

"I don't see a god." Joker grinned cheekily. "Just a brat throwing a tantrum."

His words only served to enrage him further. Bearing his teeth, Kira reared his head and let out a distorted roar of rage as the aura intensified and consumed him, swallowing him in a pillar of demonic light. The cognitions of the believers were wiped away, and the platform beneath their feet cracked. The group shielded their faces from the whipping winds before the light died down. As they had expected, the Shadow had changed into something monstrous.

In contrast to Kira's claims of being a god, what stood before them was nothing short of a demon. It's skin was jet black with red stitches digging deep into its flesh, with only tattered gray robes covering its modesty. It hovered in the air, sitting cross-legged with one arm resting on one of its legs. The other held the Scales of Justice, with one side containing corpses and the other side holding white-robed bodies, all clasping crosses close to their chest. Behind its back, worn-out and rotted wings stretched out and revealed rotting gray bones. It also sported glowing red veins. Its face was equally as demonic, with the upper half blind-folded while its mouth was lined with sharp fangs. Stabbed through its head was looked like a cross, with the bottom speared straight through the skull and exiting underneath its jaw.

Kira was gone, and before them stood the Demiurge. A false god who lorded over humanity, filled with nothing short of cold apathy and patronizing pride.

 _ **"How dare you defy a god?!"**_ Demiurge roared, voice primal and guttural. _**"I shall sentence you all to death!"**_

"Bring it on, asshole!" Skull roared.

 _[cue: Rivers in the Desert]_

"Ravage them, Arsene!" Joker summoned his Persona as his friends followed his action.

 _ **"Heathens and Heretics! Be silent as your Judgment comes forth!"**_ Demiurge snapped his fingers with his free hand. A pulse of light and sound washed over the Phantom Thieves. When it passed, their Personas disappeared.

"Wh-what the?!" Morgana cried in alarm. "What happened to Zorro?!"

 _ **"The power within you is forbidden!"**_ the Shadow snarled before it raised its scales. _**"Perish!"**_

The scales tilted and a wave of power rolled over the Phantom Thieves. Bolts of thunder and electricity came down upon them, forcing them to evade as swiftly as they could. "Okay, prick!" Skull growled as he put a hand over his mask. "Let's try this again! C'mon, Captain Kidd!" Blue flames wrapped around him as the pirate-themed Persona emerged shortly after, almost as if it had not been affected. "Knock 'em down!"

"Wait, Skull!" Joker shouted, but he was too late.

Demiurge's mouth curled into a grin as it raised its free hand, releasing a ball of black light. It crushed the ball in its head, releasing a chaotic blast that erupted right at Skull, throwing him off his feet and onto the ground. "Skull!" Panther cried in worry as she rushed over to his friend. The skull-masked teen groaned as he tried to get up to his feet, only to stumble and fall into in her arms. "Are you alright?"

"I-I'm fine..." he slurred. "I just...feel funny... My arms 'n legs feel like lead. A-and my head hurts..."

"What just happened?" Fox questioned in dismay. "When we attempted to summon our Personas, he merely forced them back into us, but when Skull attempted to summon his, he was attacked. What's the meaning of this?"

 _ **"The power within you is forbidden!"**_ Demiurge repeated. _**"Any who dare to violate this sacred law shall be punished accordingly!"**_

Morgana clicked his tongue. "In other words, if we try to summon our Personas like Skull did earlier, he'll hit us hard."

That was annoying, to say the least. Guns were only good so long as the enemy was weak to them. And he sincerely doubted weapons would work well on this thing. Even so, they didn't have much choice.

That being said, there was no reason he couldn't get creative. After all, they didn't need to rely on their Personas to help them win fights.

It was time to put what Morgana taught him to the test. Joker charged in while grabbing a couple of his crafted smoke bombs from his pocket.

 _ **"Fool. So eager to die!"**_ The Shadow raised his scales again and shot a blast of ice at the leader.

Giant icicles rained down upon Joker, but he was far faster than the projectiles as his body slid across the floor, evading the icicles with ease before he quickly rolled up to his feet. As Demiurge prepared to attack again, he threw the smoke bombs down, covering the area in a giant plume of smoke. "Useless!" Demiurge moved the scale again. A powerful gust of wind blew the smoke away. To its shock, the Phantom Thieves were gone. "What?! Where did you-GAH!"

The side of its face exploded in bursts of thunder. Growling, it turned its head to find the culprit. Fox and Morgana stood together, the latter of whom was tossing a small jar in his paw. Somehow, thunder raged inside the jar. "Simple, but effective, don't you think?" Fox asked smugly. "You said we were not allowed to use our Personas, but items are fair game!"

"As are our guns!" Joker followed up by raising his gun, firing a few rounds at Demiurge's exposed side. It wasn't so much to do harm to it as opposed to gathering its attention. Panther was currently off to the side, applying medicine to Skull's wounds. Even in the Metaverse, these kinds of things took time. Were they able to use their Personas, a few Dias could do the trick. For now, they would have to handle this with the explosives and guns on hand. And perhaps a little up close and personal combat.

With a growl of anger, the Demiurge raised its free hand, cradling a mass of power before sending it straight at the two thieves. Fox dived out of the way while Morgana leaped over it with impressive agility, firing a few steel marbles at it before quickly darting around to avoid other incoming projectiles. Fox then took aim with his rifle and began to fire at the Shadow, once again diverting its attention. With its focus shifted, Joker was able to threw a Molotov cocktail at it. It shattered and fire splashed into its skin, though compared to the explosion of thunder, the flames withered away quickly.

"Joker!" Morgana shouted. "Fire doesn't work!"

"I see that, Mona!"

" _ **Remove yourself from mine sight!"**_ Demiurge said as he raised his scale high up. As he did so, the air seemed to grow heavy.

Immediately, the thieves knew he was charging up for something powerful. Thus, they quickly went to town and fired off as many bullets as they could. Yet they were only capable of dealing miniscule amounts of damage. Not enough to throw off the Demiurge's concentration. Fox lowered his rifle and bit his lip. "No choice, then." he said with resignation as he braced himself for the pain he was about to put himself through. He put a hand over his mask. "Come to me, Goemon!"

Mona gaped at him. "Fox, what're you-?!"

Before the Demiurge could punish Fox for breaking its "sacred law," Goemon was already in motion. It swung its giant pipe and a silver streak of light followed after it. A moment later, a cut tore into the Demiurge's free arm, with black blood spewing out from the open wound. A second later, black energy slammed into Fox and sent him to the ground. "Mona, heal him!" Joker advised before his eyes narrowed, finding an opportunity. He was not about to let the opening go to waste, not when Fox risked it. He threw two salves at the so-called "god" and shot them when they were close.

Violent wind and chilling ice exploded into the wound. The Demiurge let out a pained cry as its form shook before it slumped to the ground, falling to its arms and knees. The air lessened, and the malevolence faded. Joker felt the oppressive feeling on his shoulders vanish almost entirely, bringing to a smile on his face.

"Arsene!"

With a maddening laugh, the winged thief appeared in a flourish of flames and paid the Shadow back for the trouble it caused, conjuring jet black flowing darkness into its claws before throwing it right at the downed enemy before them. It promptly exploded into a fiendish image and forced the Demiurge further into the ground.

"We can use our Personas again?" Mona perked up, noticing that Joker hadn't suffered a serious blow. "Heh, I get it. Since we interrupted his attack, his Sacred Law no longer has any effect! In that case, Zorro!"

Panther also followed after the not-cat creature, Carmen emerging to her side moments later with a spinning flourish. Skull and Fox immediately felt the pain that plagued them vanish, yet the haze on their minds remained. "Ow..." the blonde brute groaned, slowly getting up to his feet. "Damn... He hits hard."

"Next time, be more careful!" Panther admonished him. "Can you still fight?"

"M-maybe."

"Skull, Fox. Stay back for now!" Joker ordered. "Panther, fill in for Skull! He nullifies fire attacks, so focus on healing! Mona, let's go!" The feline thief nodded and Zorro joined Arsene's side, joining the Persona in its assault on the Shadow. The rapier danced and dashed together with Arsene's claws, merging with waves of darkness while wind danced together to inflict further punishment.

The Demiurge felt itself press deeper into the ground. Rage bubbled in its chest, unable to believe that these foolish and arrogant thieves could think that it would fall so easily. Enduring the assault of attacks, it raised itself into the air once more and shrugged off the damage. If they think such tactics would work, they would have to think again. It tipped the scales, this time leaning more towards its believers before a wave of light danced over its body. The burns and scars that covered its jet black flesh were wiped away, and the cut on its arm closed and pulled itself together.

"What?!" Panther gawked. "He can heal?! Oh, that is so cheating! This is just like Kamoshida all over again!"

"At least he doesn't have a wine glass with you in it." Joker quipped. That said, he agreed with Panther's words. If it was capable of healing, then this would be a long fight indeed.

The Demiurge let out a scoff as it waved its free hand about, floating once more into the air. _ **"You're all nothing but foolish brats. You still don't understand that from the moment you dared to challenge me, your fates were sealed! I am the chosen! The one chosen to become God! I will not allow you to tarnish my world!"**_ It tipped the scales again, and the air grew tense. _**"The weapons in hand are forbidden!"**_

With a snap of the Shadow's fingers, the weapons that the Phantom Thieves carried felt like heavy barbells in their hands, hampering their mobility.

"The hell? Now we can't use our weapons?!" Skull cried.

"Maybe not, but it seems like we can use our Personas, still." Fox noted, seeing Joker's Persona summoned without any repercussion.

 _ **"Begone!"**_

Giant gusts of wind whipped around Demiurge's body before it flicked its wrist, sending out giant scythes made of wind at the thieves. Skull, being considerably weak to wind, immediately dived away to avoid the attack while Mona did his best to lessen the blows. Joker immediately switched Personas and summoned Kaguya Picaro. With a twirl, spears of light danced around her and were poised to cut down the giant winged false god, but they were immediately thrown right back at him, forcing him to backflip and evade the spears.

He clicked his tongue. He should have figured the damn thing would repel Light. "Captain Kidd!" Skull roared sluggishly as Captain Kidd appeared at his side. It was noticeably compared to before as it darted around to evade more gusts of violent wind before it took aim and fired off a bolt of thunder. To Skull's surprise, the bolt waned in power as it struck Demiurge's skin, leaving the Shadow to grin. "What the eff? Why's Captain Kidd so weak now?"

"Likely because we broke his sacred law earlier." Fox winced, finding his own movements to be slowed considerably. "Let's focus on supporting them for now! Sukukaja!"

Goemon struck a pose. An emerald light encompassed the thieves, a spring suddenly emerging in their steps. The Demiurge released another violent burst of power at Panther, which she dodged with fluid grace and cartwheeled out of the way before leaping to dodge a second attack, landing atop one of the statues that encircled the platform. Taking out a vial, she threw it at Demiurge. The Shadow growled in annoyance and smashed the vial, but then winced when razor-sharp winds cut away at its hands. Then it found itself being struck by Joker's Persona Arsene, the bladed heel slamming right into its side.

 _ **"Annoying pest!"**_ it growled before it raised its free hand. Energy coiled in its grasp before it crushed it swiftly. Immediately, the buff Fox employed on them vanished. It then tipped the scales once more, creating balls of flame that were launched right at the party.

"Fox, watch out!"

The blue-haired thief was unable to dodge in time and cried out in pain as the flames exploded in his face. He fell down to his knees, his clothes covered in soot. "Compared to when I usually get burned, t-this hurts worse than usual...!" he gritted his teeth, trying to force himself to stand. Mona immediately went to his side and attempted to heal him. "Thank you, Mona."

"Don't thank me yet, we're not done with him." he reminded Fox before turning his attention to Demiurge. "My turn! Garula!"

A blast of wind hurled itself at the Shadow. However, it countered with a whirlwind of its own. The two attacks canceled out, but Demiurge followed up with a blast of electricity. Morgana was struck dead center in the chest and was thrown off his feet, flying through the air. He would have been thrown right off the edge of the tower, but Panther snatched him out from the air with Carmen, the Persona's toy servant grabbing him and pulling him to her side.

"Dia!" A soothing warmth spread across Morgana's body, causing him to sigh in relief. He then rejoined the fight, preparing his Persona once more.

Joker switched Personas again. Izanagi Picaro was called to his side, its naginata charged with electricty. "Cross Slash!" he roared. The Persona's yellow eyes burned and charged forward. Demiurge met the Persona with a blast of of wind, but the electrified naginata cut straight through it and cut straight into its body, causing it to roar in pain. Twin streaks of thunder formed a cross pattern, and split open its chest.

 _ **"Graaaaah!"**_ Demiurge wailed in pain, once again finding itself unable to keep itself afloat. The air's tension vanished once more, and it soon came under fire from everyone. Guns, wind, electricity, ice and darkness all wailed on its body. It felt its form beginning to unravel, skin peeling off to reveal pulsating red flesh. It let out a defiant roar, shaking the foundation of the tower and the air before it pulled itself up, once more finding solace in the air. It was beginning to grow frustrated.

This could not be allowed to continue. Every moment that passed, these thieves threatened the world it wished to create. It would not allow that. It had underestimated their tenacity and resourcefulness, and now it felt anger surging through it. Snarling, it healed its wounds and raised the scales again. _**"The power that mends is forbidden!"**_ it declared as the air shifted once again.

"Power that mends?" Skull questioned. "The hell's that mean?"

Fox gritted his teeth. "It means healing is off the table now."

Joker sighed. "Troublesome..."

* * *

While the Phantom Thieves combated Light Yagami's shadow, another meeting was taking place. Not face to face, but rather over the phone. L had recently received the reports from each of the fourteen FBI agents he had requested to investigate certain individuals within the police department. Given how Kira's victims were primarily those within police custody with strong implicating evidence against them, enough to build a case, it was logical that Kira had access to private police information. Meaning either somebody was a mole, or Kira was using someone without them knowing. He found the latter idea with a higher percentage.

In front of his computer were the full details and lists of everyone the agents were tasked with looking into, from high profile targets in the department to their families. L found a few people of interest, but one currently had his attention. Raye Penber had delivered his report, including the bizarre case of events from a week ago. Something about that bus hijacking didn't quite sit well with him. It was suspicious, not to mention so out of place.

"Light Yagami. Age, 18. Currently a senior at Daikoku Private Academy. Straight A student all around. Son of Police Chief Soichiro Yagami, and elder brother to one Sayu Yagami. Their mother, Sachiko Yagami, died when Light was still in elementary school." L droned over the trivial information, reading the report on his computer screen. "Given how Yagami-san has been involved in his work, Light would most likely have taken up the role of a parental figure to the girl."

All in all, he seemed like an upstanding individual. In fact, L learned that Light Yagami had actually expressed an interest in joining the police academy. Given what he's read, he had no doubt the boy would go far. He dared to say that Light might actually make detective in a few years. However, all of this only reinforced L's suspicions.

After all, how many people might suspect the perfect and number one honor student to be the mass serial killer to be Kira?

Going over the facts, L could think of two hypothesis' as to how Light Yagami might have become Kira if his theory was true. The first was that someone so intelligent could easily see the current state of affairs of the world. It was rotting and dying. Killing itself as it was becoming more and more infected with corrupt individuals, ranging from politicians to dirty cops and so on. Likely, Light Yagami became Kira because he was disgusted that no one was attempting to change society. A well-intention extremist. The second hypothesis was that Light Yagami became Kira because of the stress of doubling his academics with looking after Sayu Yagami. Coupled with the first hypothesis, it was also likely that he was doing this to protect Sayu Yagami. The reports indicated that they were very close.

If that idea was possible, then L couldn't help but pity Light Yagami. Such a promising young man, and practically the perfect person and brother, turned mass murderer. It was a prime example of the phrase, "The path to hell was paved with good intentions." He could only presume that Light did this for either hypothesis without solid evidence.

Going back to the incident mentioned in Raye Penber's report, though, L looked it over again. At first glance, the whole incident seemed typical. A criminal attempts to hijack the bus then holds everyone hostage for a ransom. However, there were several inconsistencies. Kiichiro Osoreda was little more than a drug junkie looking for his next fix. A low level criminal. Taking over a bus and demanding a ransom seemed too professional, too risky for a nobody.

"Why would this man attempt to steal a bus when it was clearly risky?" L pondered as he bit the nail on his thumb. "His face was already plastered on the news days prior to the incident, yet he still attempted to stage a robbery. Not only is it out of character, it's foolish."

Unless there had been a reason. Kira needed a name and a face to kill someone. Suddenly, the pieces all fell into his lap. In the report, Penber had attempted to calm Light Yagami's date, a girl of little importance, but the young man in question was suspicious and cited a common tactic used by criminals in these sorts of situations. In order to gain his trust, Penber had to reveal his identity.

And Kira had demonstrated the ability to influence a person's actions.

"It couldn't be...!"

He grabbed another file related to the case and read through it again. He examined all the facts. All the victims that had showed bizarre behavior before their deaths. The one who wrote the suicide note. The one who drew a pentagram on the wall. The one who died in the bathroom. Then the two victims thus far who wrote messages for L. Then he looked back to Kiichiro Osoreda's attempted hijacking.

A disturbing realization set in. One that brought forth both intrigue and horror at the same time. How could he not have seen this? It was right here, in plain sight. He had been so focused on understanding Kira and how he executed so many criminals from just a single location that he never bothered to look more deeply into the facts.

"Is it possible..." L whispered with wide eyes. "...that Kira can kill with more than just a heart attack?!"

* * *

A giant wave of power erupted from Demiurge's body. Unlike last time, the group was unable to stop him in time and soon found themselves in a world of pain. Pain wracked the Phantom Thieves bodies like heavy weights as they slowly brought themselves back up to their feet. Their bodies were being pushed to the brink, and their minds were beginning to strain from using their Personas for extended periods. At the rate things were going, they would either lose or be forced to retreat.

The last option was most certainly not feasible. Especially when this was their only chance. Yet victory seemed so bleak, especially when they had to risk getting themselves in a world of hurt. Something Morgana had already paid the price earlier when the Demiurge had unleashed a violent attack that nearly brought Joker to a quick death. Now the feline creature had to be supported by Skull, wanting to repay him for his earlier kindness.

"One more hit like that, and we're finished...!" Fox scowled, powering through the pain as he held onto his sword tightly. "We must find a way to end this, and quickly!"

Joker nodded in agreement. This couldn't continue. They had to find a way to get around those Sacred Laws of his. Even as the Shadow prepared yet another attack, electricity dancing in its palm, Joker's mind was racing to find an answer. With Kamoshida, they had to distract him while someone went to knock off his crown, and Madarame valued his art to the point where destroying his portraits made him weak and vulnerable to them. Perhaps they could attempt to do the same here. But what could hold value to someone like Kira? His eyes roamed Demiurge's body, looking for anything that might serve as a weakness. Panther evaded the bolts of electricty and countered with her own fireballs, though it was more to distract him since fire had no effect. To keep it off of the others. In response to her challenge, it raised its scales and tipped them towards the corpses, sending out stronger fireballs at her. Carmen took the brunt of the damage, but the effects were still powerful enough to send Panther skidding across the platform.

Then it clicked in his mind. A grin spread across his face before he turned to Morgana, the cat creature catching his gaze with confusion. "Diarahan!"

Fox stared at Joker like he was crazy. "Leader, what on Earth are you-?!"

 _ **"The punishment for breaking this sacred law is death!"**_ Demiurge roared at Joker's challenge to his rules. Kaguya Picaro had released a soothing light that healed Morgana entirely, but now it was the leader of the thieves' turn to take the hit.

He had to admit, it hurt a lot worse than he expected. His back smacked against the platform harshly and bounced to a stop near Panther. "Oh my god, Joker! Are you okay?!"

"Been better..." he wheezed, propping himself up on his elbows.

Morgana hissed at him. "What were you thinking?! You should know better than to be so reck-"

"The scales." he cut him off, causing Morgana to blink. "Cut the scales."

"The scales?" Skull repeated in confusion. "What do you..." He looked back at the Demiurge, then he reached what Joker had in mind. A toothy grin spread across his face. "Ooooh, I getcha."

Morgana nodded. "Leave it to me!" The feline summoned Zoro once more and rushed. His Persona raised its saber in preparation for a swift strike.

Demiurge reacted quickly and deflected the incoming attack before knocking the Persona back. "Hey, asshole!" Skull shouted, catching its attention. It then received a face full of thunder from Captain Kidd, causing it to growl in annoyance. "You suck at being a god!"

 _'Really, Skull?'_ the Phantom Thieves thought with a sweatdrop. Not only was it weak, it was completely obvious that he was trying to divert the Shadow's attention. Plus, the insult was very weak.

And yet it did the trick. The Demiurge was livid. _ **"You dare mock me, heathen?! I'll see to it that you pay a hundred times in full for such insolence!"**_

The Shadow raised the scales once more, preparing to strike with a stronger blast of wind. But this was an opening that they were looking for. Skull and Fox's Personas emerged and immediately began to fire off with all that they had while Joker, even while weakened, summoned a new Persona to the fight. A golden helm with dark red skin and sword in hand, Ares emerged with a vicious grin and leaped forward to deliver a mighty blow to the so-called God. Panther even joined in by letting out several rounds from her sub-machine gun. Even when they were assaulted by such powerful attacks with maddened ferocity, they were not about to go down without a fight. It demonstrated the bonds between them, even if they hadn't known each other for long.

And they were going to fight as hard as they needed to.

The Demiurge felt a small hint of respect for the Phantom Thieves in this regard, but ultimately, it felt only anger at these heretics that dared to deny it of its right. They didn't know what they were trying to do. And yet they still dared to interfere. This increased resistance only made it more furious. It had played with them long enough.

It would finish them here!

 _ **"If you wish to die so badly, then allow me to grant your request!"**_ it snarled and beared its fangs at them as it raised its scales, tipping them and ready to ensure their demise. _**"Everything you hold is-!"**_

"NOT QUITE!"

 _ **"What?!"**_

A black blur shot forward, followed by a silver gleam. In the next second, the chains holding the scales were shattered. The Demiurge stared, slack-jawed and stunned into silence as it watched its symbol of authority and right fall, and with it the sinners and the believers. They fell over the edge and down below, far beyond its reach.

 _ **"M-my scales...?"**_

"Everyone!" Joker roared, his eyes blazing. Now was the time to strike! "Hit 'em with everything you've got!"

"You got it!"

"Let's do this!"

The Thieves moved quickly, becoming blurs that struck Demiurge from all angles. The attacks grew faster and it was still too shocked by what just happened to register what was going on. When it did, the thieves had already parted, having dealt serious damage. It released a howl of pain as it found itself falling to the platform with a dull thud. The tower shook at the sudden drop. It attempted to stand, but found that it was on all fours. Black fluids leaked from its wounds. Its breathing became heavy pants and attempted to get up again.

"Last chance, Kira." Fox said with narrowed eyes. "Hand us the Treasure, and return to Light Yagami. The man you used to be before you touched that notebook!"

 _ **"Be...silent...!"**_ Demiurge growled. Its claws dug into the platform, its body shaking. Suddenly, the aura of malevolence around its body grew even thicker. _**"I...will not...fall...to the likes...of YOU!"**_

Demiurge reared its back and let out a primal, guttural roar that made the air tremble. A powerful burst of air nearly threw the Phantom Thieves off their feet. With renewed vigor and rage, the Shadow found its second wind and pushed itself up, standing on its knees. At this moment, whatever demonic and regal look it had as if it were the Yama had been wiped away. With such desperation and rage, it had gone from being a god to a new world to a vile demon that must be vanquished.

The wings on its back rotted away, falling apart and leaving behind only skeletal remains. Its robes were now ruined, little more than rags that hanged off its form. With the dripping black fluids leaking from its body, the Demiurge looked far more disturbing than it had before.

 _ **"DIE! ALL OF YOU WILL DIE!"**_ the Demiurge cried out.

It crossed its arms over its chest, then swung them out before releasing a powerful roar that sent out a disturbing wave of power, washing over the thieves. They felt as if they had just been thrown into a cold ocean, shuddering from the feeling before they found a random number hanging over their heads. "What in the eff is this?" Skull questioned.

 _ **"EVEN IF I DON'T HAVE THE DEATH NOTE HERE, THIS IS STILL MY WORLD!"**_ the Shadow hissed, a long tongue slipping out between its jaws. _**"MY WORLD, DO YOU UNDERSTAND?! INSOLENT FOOLS LIKE YOU, WHO DARE TO GET IN MY WAY, HAVE NO PLACE IN IT!"**_

"This is bad, he's finally getting serious!" Mona announced.

"You mean he wasn't before?!"

"He has to be close to being spent, right?" Panther asked, albeit with some uncertainty. "Then, all we have to do is keep going!" But as they moved to proceed, the numbers above their heads decreased by a single numeral.

 _ **"DIE! ALL OF YOU, DIE!"**_

Demiurge released another guttural roar before he slammed a hand forward, as if attempting to grab one of the thieves. Morgana slid underneath its palm, evading it completely and letting it crash into the platform before summoning Zorro and shooting several fierce Garus to its face. Panther followed up with lashes of her whip, striking at its side. It retaliation, Demiurge lashed out and swung its arms wildly, as if throwing a tantrum and ripping apart the platform in the process. "Get rekt!" Skull called on Captain Kidd, shooting a lightning volley at the Demiurge and striking it at the shoulder. It seemed barely fazed by the attack and retaliated by swatting the Persona out of the sky. Skull was promptly knocked away along with it, his back hitting the platform. He was far from done, however, as he flipped up to his feet and charged back at him again. "Joker, 'cmon! Let's give 'em a double whammy!"

Joker grinned at this and nodded. At his side, a beast made of pure lightning danced to his side, fangs bared and snarling. "Ravage him, Raijuu!"

As a cohesive unit, Skull's and Joker's Personas unleashed a double Zionga spell at Demiurge, causing it to screech in pain. It also seemed to infuriate it further as black writhing energy wrapped around its claws. With a cry of anger, it brought its fist down upon Goemon, who defended against it with its pipe. The ground beneath the Persona's feet cracked significantly, and Yusuke felt his body straining. With a herculean display of strength, Goemon shrugged off the attack and countered with a slash, carving an open wound into its forearm that it repaid with a strike that knocked the Persona back.

The numbers dwindled again. Joker grimaced, unsure of what the numbers meant. And he did not wish to find out.

They had to defeat Kira, and fast!

 _ **"JUST DIE ALREADY YOU PIECES OF SHIT!"**_ Demiurge roared as it swung its arms at them, shooting off another burst of energy.

"Whew! We really made him mad!" Skull noticed the sudden usage of foul language. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to move out of the way in time and a piece of debris struck him in the knee. Worse, it was the one Kamoshida had injured a year ago, making him scream out and fall down to his knee. "SON OF A BITCH!"

"Skull!" Fox immediately went his friend's aid. He managed to reach him in time thanks to Sukukaja and quickly pulled his friend out of the way when Demiurge brought down a hammer fist upon the spot where they stood, evading a close death. "You alright?"

"S-sorry... It hit my knee." he apologized before getting back up. He winced as he felt his leg burn in protest, but ignored it. "Okay, now I'm pissed! Captain Kidd! Give 'em a good ol' Headbutt!" If possible, the pirate-themed manifestation of rebellion's jaw curved upward before it darted forward. It dodged a swinging fist and slammed right into Demiurge's face, causing it to recoil. "Booyah! Critical hit!" He grinned and exchanged a high-five with Yusuke. "Hit it, dude!"

The blue-haired artist smirked. "With pleasure!" Goemon emerged at his side, eyes narrowed. "Rising Slash!" With a mighty swing, Goemon struck. The blade cut deep into Demiurge's flesh, tearing through strands of muscle and even into bone. Its arm gushed with black fluids that stained the platform further. It released a howl of pain, but the aura around its body only seemed to grow stronger. "What?!"

 _ **"DIE ALREADY!"**_

Faster than Fox could react, Demiurge rammed a fist into Goemon, destroying the Persona and sending Fox flying. His body soared through the air, then bounced off the ground. To the group's horror, his body nearly slid right off the platform's edge, but was able to grab hold with an arm and leg propped over it.

"You okay?!" Mona called in worry.

Fox gritted his teeth, using his strength to pull himself up. "I am fine! Don't worry about me!" he shouted back. "Be careful! It seems the more we damage him, the more powerful his attacks become!"

 _ **"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW HARD I'VE WORKED TO GET THIS FAR, YOU BASTARDS?!"**_ Light Yagami's Shadow snarled, each word dripping with venom before going into a fist fight with Joker's Persona, Ares. The Persona was resilient to physical blows, so the increased strength was of little issue. Each fist was countered by the blade, and each time Ares struck with a vengeance. _**"WHY DO YOU INSIST ON GETTING IN MY WAY?! IF YOU HADN'T INTERFERED, NONE OF THIS WOULD NEED TO HAPPEN! ALL YOU NEEDED TO DO WAS JUST SHUT UP AND LET ME CHANGE THIS ROTTING SHITTY WORLD!"**_

"And keep letting you murder people? Sorry, but that's never gonna happen!" Skull shouted back. He was seriously getting fed up with this. He had never felt this sore, not even when he pushed his body to the limits during last year's Track Meet before Kamoshida came in. And his head felt like it was splitting. He couldn't keep summoning his Persona without suffering from some serious migraines, and he was sure the others felt the same. Especially Joker, who had been switching back and forth to tank hits and hit back harder. Worse, every time they hit Demiurge, he just hit back harder.

The hype of stealing Kira's heart was gone. Now he just wanted to bash this bastard's-

His thoughts ceased when the numbers dwindled. The number above his head struck zero and then promptly vanished. His eyes rolled to the back of his head and fell unceremoniously to the ground. "Skull?!" Fox shouted in surprise and worry. "What happened?!"

Demiurge smirked. _**"THIS IS MY WORLD... AND EVEN WITHOUT THE DEATH NOTE, I DECIDE WHO WILL DIE!"**_

Joker's eyes widened. Now he understood what the numbers were for. "Dammit!" He quickly switched Personas, returning to Kaguya Picaro, which twirled and released butterflies of different colors, all converging on Skull. As soon as they touched him and faded into his body, Skull sprung up with wide eyes, face pale. "Everyone, don't let those numbers hit zero!"

"NOW you tell me!" Skull complained before he scrambled up to his feet. "Thank eff for Recarm."

Demiurge decided to end the tomfoolery with another wild lunge, reaching out for Panther. She dodged and cartwheeled away when it dragged its claws through the ground, then followed up with a swing at Joker. The latter leaped over it and repaid the Shadow in kind with a blast from Arsene, an Eiha exploding in its face. _**"GAH, WRETCHED WORM!"**_ Before he could retaliate, Goemon struck him with a blast of Bufula. Spires of ice stabbed at him from below.

With rather impressive flexibility, it twirled around and began to swing wildly. Ever since being forced down to this level, it had been just flailing and striking like some rabid dog. And with each strike, more of its body was ripped away to expose what was hidden underneath its flesh. More and more, it looked less of the divine demonic god it claimed to be and more of a misshapen mess.

However, they noted how it had started to slow down. It was beginning to feel tired. And unfortunately, so were they. They were exhausted. Their bodies were screaming in pain, and their heads felt as if they were being split in two. They couldn't keep summoning their Personas for much longer. Worse, as the fight dragged on, the numbers dwindled. The first to go down after Skull was Fox, who had unfortunately also taken a direct hit from Demiurge. The second was Joker, leading the group to panic before Panther managed to use one of the healing items he had given her.

After her turn had passed, things had finally reached their climax. Both sides were exhausted, but not willing to give up. Especially not Joker, who was going to make sure they were all going to make it out of this.

They needed to end this. And if they dragged on any further, the Shadow might use that death clock trick again. And he'd be damned before he allowed that to happen. He quickly thought up of a solution, though he frowned a little. Would it work? He wouldn't find out until he executed it. Even so, he felt it was a giant waste. Especially since he spent so much time making them all.

Oh well. He could always make more.

"You guys got any throwables left?" he asked. They nodded. "Then throw everything you've got at him."

"Seriously?" Panther questioned. "Is-is this even going to work?"

Fox frowned. "Only one way to find out, no?"

 _ **"ALL OF YOU JUST NEED TO FUCKING DIE ALREADY!"** _Demiurge snarled before the aura around his body intensified. Immediately, Joker knew what he was planning to do. _**"I WON'T LET YOU INTERFERE WITH ME ANYMORE! YOU'RE NO BETTER THAN THOSE SCUM THAT POISON THIS WORLD! YOU'RE WHAT'S MAKING IT ROT! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL ALL OF YOU!"**_

"Oh, for the love of Pete, will you shut up already!" the blonde male snapped angrily, tired of hearing the Shadow's ranting. "Okay, guys! Throw everything ya got!" The Thieves nodded in unison and hurled every last throwable item they had on their person.

Demiurge was bombarded by a cacophony of ice, wind, fire, and lightning from all sides simultaneously.

 _[cue: Last Surprise]_

One giant explosion, a mix of all elements the Personas and Shadows used in battle. The result was the Demiurge released a horrifying shriek as it found itself falling to all fours, body now utterly exposed and weakened. Through the pain, the Shadow's mind screamed. How was this possible? How was this happening? How was it losing?! This can't be! It was god! It was the god of a bright, wonderful new world! And yet, these thieves, these bastards who had the gall to interfere with its dream, were actually pushing it back?! Forcing it down to this pitiful state?!

 _ **"DAMN YOU...!**_ " it growled, fingers digging into the platform beneath it before snapping its head up and roaring in defiance. " _ **DON'T GET ARROGANT WITH ME, YOU PIECES OF SHIT!"**_

It lunged at the party, only to find Fox intercepting it. With a fluid grace, he drew his sword from his sheathe and slashed away at the Shadow's outstretched hand, even managing to slice off a few digits in the process. "This world is filled with both beauty and vice." he said, eyes cool as his mask became wreathed in azure flames. "And even ugliness has its beauty! Now, come! Goemon!" The Persona pulled itself from the flames, striking a pose and slamming its foot down, shooting a giant spear of ice that slammed right into the Shadow's abdomen, stunning it.

"WHY...?!" Demiurge wheezed. _**"I WAS CHOSEN TO HAVE THIS WONDERFUL POWER... THE POWER TO CHANGE THIS ROTTING WORLD! WHAT THE HELL'S WRONG WITH ME USING IT?!"**_

Skull ran forward, his own mask engulfed in flame. "You're nothing special, Kira!" he rebuked the Shadow's claims. "You're no better than the shitty adults you kill! And if there's anything we hate more than anything, its assholes like you causing trouble for the rest of us!" He jumped and Fox caught him, pushing him up even higher. Before he took to the air, the two exchanged a high-five. With a yell, the blonde delinquent brought his weapon down on Demiurge's skull, an audible crack echoing in the air. "Blow him away, Captain!" As he backed off, Captain Kidd shot past him and rammed its ship into Demiurge's shoulder before coming back around and shooting off a few rounds of thunder into its exposed backside.

 _ **"KRGH...!"** _the Shadow grimaced, forced even further into the ground. _**"WHAT THE HELL... WHERE DID THEY GET THIS SECOND WIND OF THEIRS?! THEIR POWER'S STRONGER THAN BEFORE!**_ " It pushed itself back up, form shaking uncontrollably. _**"I CAN'T LOSE! I CAN'T POSSIBLY LOSE! I AM A GOD!"**_

Panther scoffed. "A god? I think you mean a demon." she flicked her hair as she exchanged a high-five with a grinning skull. Embers began to flow from her red mask as her eyes burned with fierce resolve. "Nothing but a brat with twisted desires! We'll steal all that there is of you!" The flames extended past her body, forming into Carmen. The Persona had a smirk on its face. "Dance, Carmen!" And dance it did. The dance macabre as it unleashed a volley of powerful explosions onto the Shadow, scarring its body further. When Demiurge attempted to defend itself, Carmen whipped one of her lackeys forward and wrapped them around its neck, tugging and pulling it forward.

 _ **"Y-YOU...BASTARDS...!"**_

"Mona!"

The not-cat creature smirked and leaped forward, slapping his paw(?) against Panther's hand. "Roger! Time for me to shine! Zorro!" On cue, the burly manifestation of rebellion appeared and swished its rapier, forming into a "z" shape that was sent out, forming into a blast of wind that smashed right into Demiurge's face. The resulting strike ripped the blindfold clean off, revealing no eyes underneath. Just empty sockets. The force behind the attack nearly sent it onto its back before it collapsed once more onto all fours.

 _ **"H-HOW DARE YOU HINDER ME... YOU BASTARDS...!"**_

"Hmph. That's a selfish way of looking at it!" Morgana harumphed before he dashed forward and high-fived Joker, the latter smirking viciously as blue flames began to encroach his cloak and mask. In the back of his mind, Arsene resounded with menacing laughter, looking forward to ending this charade. "Straighten this idiot out, Joker!"

Tugging on his gloves, the phantom thief charged forward. In one last, final act of desperation and rage, Demiurge roared as power gathered around its claws, swinging wildly in a futile attempt to defend itself from what it knew to be its demise. Joker dodged each incoming attack before he jumped atop one of the flailing arms and then leaped into the air. "Ravage him, Arsene!" At his call, the Persona danced into existence and struck, bladed heel carving into flesh, straight down the face. Black liquid spewed all across the platform as a result. The final blow that destroyed all manner of resistance. The Shadow went limp, motionless and kneeling with its broken arms dangling at its side.

Joker landed atop its face, smirking as he aimed the gun at the Shadow. "I stole it." he announced. "The arrogance in your heart."

 _*BANG!*_

A pull of the trigger and Demiurge's face cracked, as if it were stone. Then its body began to crack, light seeping through the cracks. Then it exploded, releasing violent gusts of wind that plowed through the air. The dark clouds that loomed over them vanished and were replaced by a dim, orange evening night sky. As the light faded, Joker landed away from the blackened mess of sludge that was once the Demiurge, a hand in his pocket. The Phantom Thieves all cheered, overjoyed and relieved at their victory. Then a streak of light shined upon them. Looking up, a small white orb descended.

"What's that?" Panther questioned. The light fell into Joker's hands, then took on a physical shape. It was a book. Or more accurately, a bible, albeit much more slim with a skull printed in front of the cross. "Is this the Treasure?"

"No mistaking it!" Morgana said excitedly, stars dancing in his eyes. "That's definitely the Treasure!"

"A bible, hm?" Fox hummed. "How fitting."

 **"Give..."** Startled, the group of teens turned around. The sludge had dissipated, revealing Kira once more. Only now his confidence and arrogance was wiped away. He now looked tired. Worn out and exhausted. Pitiful, almost. It was like they were looking at someone else. **"Give that back... That's mine..."**

Skull scowled angrily. "You're still yacking on about that crap? When are you gonna learn to give up?!"

 **"I need that..."** Kira tried to stand, but failed. He fell to his knee, and looked at them with a strange look of desperation. **"Without that, how can I make a perfect world...?"**

Joker shook his head. "You don't have that right anymore." he said flatly. "You aren't a god, Light. You are human. And humans don't have the right to play god."

The Shadow fell silent at that. For a moment, Joker couldn't help but feel sorry for Light Yagami. All of this happened because Ryuk gave him that notebook. If that had never happened, he would have been as he claimed he was. The number one honor student that could do no wrong. Kira's face changed, biting his lip as he hanged his head low in resignation, falling to his knees. He had now accepted defeat.

 **"Then..."** he whimpered. **"How am I going to protect Sayu...?"**

The thieves looked at one another in realization. So Light had taken up the Mantle of Kira to protect his sister. While it was a good intention, his actions were far too horrific to ignore.

"...It may have been your intention to keep her safe. But your actions have only hurt her." Joker informed him.

Morgana nodded in agreement, folding his arms. "Perhaps what you did was out of love, but you took it too far." he said strongly. "Do you realize how many people you've killed? The men you murdered may have been evil, but many of them must have had families they cared about."

Kira's lips thinned, forming a small sad smile. **"Maybe your right..."** he admitted shamefully. **"When I killed Otoharada and Shibuimaru, I was terrified. But then I told myself they were bad men that needed to die."**

"So you tried to rationalize what you did." Fox surmised. "Even so, that doesn't justify what you've done."

 **"Then what am I supposed to do?"**

"Go back to your real self and repent." Joker said bluntly. "Be the brother you need to be. Not whatever the hell I'm looking at."

Kira said nothing to that.

The tower then began to shake uncontrollably. The air shimmered, the red tinge that engulfed the world subsiding. "Palace is coming down!" Skull shouted. Bits of the foundation had peeled away and fell down to the earth. The edges of the platform were beginning to fall apart. "C'mon, guys! We gotta move!"

They immediately headed for the stairs, not wanting to stay and get crushed by falling debris or trapped inside the tower. Joker paused mid-step and looked over his shoulder, finding Kira already dissolving into light. "Sayu asked us to steal your heart, you know." he told him. Kira looked up with wide eyes. "She wanted her big brother back. Think about that when you return to Light Yagami."

Before Light could respond, Joker already made his exit. The teen remained where he knelt, the revelation running through his mind. His own sister asked the Phantom Thieves to do this. All because she wanted her brother back.

Why? When? How... How could he have been so blind?

He closed his eyes in regret before his body finally dissipated into light, vanishing from sight.

* * *

"Light?" Sayu called, rapping her knuckles on the door. "You in there? I need your help making dinner! Dad'll be coming home soon!"

Earlier today, Soichiro had called home and told the siblings that he finally had a day off. What neither of them knew was that L suggested he take the day off when he realized how the man was running himself ragged and needed a break. Moreover, he needed time with his family. Sayu, for her part, was excited at the prospect of having her father home since the Kira case started. That train of thought had been a bit depressing, since only she knew who Kira was, but she didn't dare tell her father.

Light had seemed happy at the idea, but she didn't know much of that was him or Kira. Given everything that happened and all that she had heard, she could only see the monster that wore her brother's skin. She hoped the Phantom Thieves had succeeded. She wanted her big brother back. But then her mind raced to their previous targets, Kamoshida and Madarame. They publicly confessed what they did. If Light did the same...

She shook her head. She couldn't think like that! Everything would be alright! She was sure of it! For now, she had to put on a smile and pretend nothing was wrong. When she received no answer, she knocked on the door. "Light? Hey, you in?" No answer still. Frowning and daring to risk her brother's privacy, she opened the door. The room was hardly lit, save for the light seeping in through the curtains. Light was sitting on his bed, a black notebook sitting next to him. "Light? What're you doing, sitting here in the dark?" she asked as she entered. "If you study in the dark, you'll hurt your..."

She stopped when she saw Light's face. It was hard to see at first, but soon her eyes adjusted to the darkness in the room. There were tears running down his cheeks, and his eyes were slightly red.

"Light...?" She walked over to her brother, kneeling in front of him. "Are, are you-" She found herself pulled in as his arms wrapped around her, hugging her and holding her tightly. "L-Light?"

"I'm sorry..." Light whispered, shoulders shaking. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I..."

"Light...?" She asked again, feeling her own heart drop to the pit of her stomach.

"I'm sorry, Sayu..." her brother sobbed. "I'm so sorry..."

The girl couldn't respond. Instead, she wrapped her arms around him in turn. "It's okay..." she whispered, resting her chin atop his head. Tears flowed down her face also. Her focus on dinner faded, and from the bottom of her heart, she profusely thanked the phantom thieves. "It's okay, big brother. I'm right here..."

Unseen to both of them, Ryuk watched the scene unfold with a hint of sadness and amusement. "Well, guess there goes my fun." he mused, lounging in the air and lying on his side. It was a shame, really. He really was looking forward to this cat and mouse game, but alas, the fun had to end sometime. That being said...perhaps there was still some fun to be had. "I guess I can stick around a little while longer. Who knows? Maybe you'll surprise me again, Light! That is, if you aren't too consumed with guilt. Kyahahahahaha!"

* * *

In another part of Japan, a man was talking on the phone inside a luxury hotel suite that had been reserved for him and his fiance. "I didn't have much choice at the time." Raye Penber said, speaking with L. He had to admit, it was rare for him to receive a call, especially from such a high profile figure. "However, based on my investigation, I don't believe Light Yagami could be Kira."

"I see..." L hummed. "Well, thank you for clarifying all of this for me, Mr. Penber. Give my regards to Miss Masora."

"Of course, Mr. L." Raye said. The call dropped and he set the phone back on its charger, sighing as he rubbed his neck, clearly confused by that phone call. "I gave him my report, so why did he ask me about that bus hijacking...?"

"Raye? Is something wrong?" The bathroom door pulled open to reveal Raye's fiance, Naomi Masora. A beautiful woman in her early to mid thirties with dark hair that fell to her shoulders, and cool eyes that were more beautiful than anything else. At least in his opinion. She was wearing a baggy black top with jeans and socks while her hair was being dried off by the towel in her hands. "Who was that on the phone?"

"That was L." he told her. Given both of their professions, neither had any reason to lie to the other. "He wanted to go over some details about my investigation of the Yagami family. Mostly about the bus hijacking."

 _'So, L must have thought the same thing I did.'_ Naomi thought to herself while keeping her expression in check as she sat down on the opposing sofa, across from her fiance. Ever since that day, Naomi had been thinking about how off that thing felt to her when she first heard of it. She hadn't shared her thoughts with Raye on them yet, but if her brief partner and superior was asking her fiance about that incident, then it was clear he reached the same conclusion.

"Do you have any idea why?"

"No, I don't." Raye shook his head. "I don't think anyone understands what goes through that man's mind." He then smiled as he looked at her, leaning forward. "Never mind that, did you pack your things? We'll be leaving fairly early in the morning, though if you want to stay another day..."

She laughed at his words. "Oh no, mister. Daddy says he wants to meet you and discuss our future together. And he isn't the kind of man to take no for an answer!"

"Hah! I figured..."

Come tomorrow morning, Raye Penber and Naomi Masora would be leaving for Okinawa. Near the end of the year, the two would be happily wed. In another time, Raye Penber would have died and Naomi Masora would have sought to avenge his death, only to soon join him. Now, however, thanks to the intervention of a group of rebellious tricksters, that future had been averted. The two would surely lead happy lives now...

* * *

"Oh, god..." Ryuji groaned, leaning on the guard rail for support. "I don't think Olympic Sportsman would feel this sore after a hardcore workout..."

"I'm more surprised we made it out in one piece." Yusuke chimed, looking no worse for wear either. "Takamaki-san, Amamiya-san, what about you two? Are you alright?"

Ann smiled sweetly at him. "I'm fine. A little sore, but fine."

Ren shrugged in response. It was certainly the most strenuous workout, but as far as things went, this was just another day at the office for him. "So, what's the Treasure look like?" Morgana asked, curious. "You still have it, right?" He nodded and pulled it out from his pocket. The Phantom Thieves were surprised to find that the Bible that had represented Light Yagami's rise to power and descent to madness was little more than a small piece of paper. "What's this?"

"Is this...a photograph?" Ann asked. She took the item from Ren's hand. The photo showed a family of four: a woman who looked to be an older version of Sayu Yagami sporting a smile as she held a tiny infant in her arms. At her side was a young boy with brown hair and eyes with a wide smile. Knelt down beside him was a man with slicked back hair and glasses, his face stern but gentle. "Could this be Light's family?"

"That woman must be his mother, and the baby Sayu." Yusuke guessed. "Sayu-san said that their mother died when they were very young, isn't that right? Then, this must be when she was still alive."

"If a picture like this was his treasure, then it must be the only memento he had of his family when his mother was still alive." Ren deduced.

Ann looked at the picture, noting how the young man in it looked radically different from the person the saw in the palace. She understood that it was a difference in age, but even so, the feelings behind it were beautiful. She could feel the love coming from the mother, and the happiness in young Light's face. "He said that he became Kira to protect his sister, right?" she recalled his words from the Shadow they fought earlier. "I wonder. Why'd he go so far?"

"From my viewpoint, Light had to rationalize what he had done." Yusuke offered his two cents. "Think back to his words. He clearly felt remorseful that he killed two men when he obtained the Death Note. Given how things are in Japan, and when you compared it to everywhere else in the world, and how he said he was an honors student, I believe Light felt he needed to be perfect. He couldn't accept how he killed two men based on a mere whim, and rationalized that they needed to die."

"And the rest went downhill from there." Morgana finished with a sad look in his eye.

"Yeah. Eventually, he thought himself to be God and went around killing scum like Kamoshida and Madarame. It's pretty messed up." Ryuji commented. "Hey, thinking back on what we were talking about earlier, if this guy confesses... Will people take him seriously? I mean, who's gonna believe you can kill somebody with a notebook?"

"Only if he demonstrates it firsthand." the painter of the group folded his arms. "However, given we stole his heart, I doubt he would attempt to do so. Even so, given that he's the son of the current police chief of the Kanto region Police Department, he would be under investigation." Yusuke then frowned, face contorting into concern. "Speaking of which, now that we've changed Kira's heart...what will happen now?"

Ann tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"As...horrid as his methods were, Kira had reduced crime rates significantly. Now that we have changed his heart, criminals will once again be on the rise. In fact, they may even feel more bold now that the one thing they feared is gone."

"What makes you say that?" Ren cut in. Yusuke blinked and turned to stare at him, finding a sly smile on his face.

Morgana chuckled. "He's right. They have no idea that Kira's not the one they should be fearing right now. Once we make a name for ourselves, the world will remember the name of the Phantom Thieves. And then they'll REALLY have a reason to hide!"

"Damn straight!" Ryuji grinned. "Man, now that I think about it, we just took down one of the biggest criminals in history! How should we celebrate?!"

"Whoa, hold your horses Ryuji!" Ann chastised him. "We still have exams to deal with! Plus, we'll be going to the TV station once exams are over."

Ryuji blinked. "TV what now?"

"Remember? The social studies trip."

"Oooh, right. That thing." At Ren's confused look, Ryuji explained. "The second year class goes on a social studies trip, with the class reps having a poll. Guess this year we'll be going to a TV studio."

"Really? Sounds like an odd choice for a field trip."

"Dude, we have a _turtle_ for a mascot." Ryuji deadpanned. "A freaking _turtle_."

"And?" Yusuke shrugged. "Kosei has a peacock. What's your point?"

Of course, at the time, none of them could have predicted the impact of Kira's disappearance from the world would have had. Nor the events that would soon follow it...

* * *

 _"The real evil is the power to kill people. Someone who finds himself with that power is cursed. No matter how you use it, anything obtained by killing people can never bring true happiness." -Soichiro Yagami, "Death Note"_

* * *

Here's Your Warning!

The Phantom Thieves have taken Light Yagami's heart! And the world has taken notice of Kira's absence! While the Phantom Thieves deal with the aftermath and come across info of their next big target, Light Yagami battles his own consciousness and the repercussions of his actions. In the midst of all of this conflict, he comes across those who will remind him of the justice he once sought.

The Next Heist: Justice, Rediscovered

 _Don't miss it, baby!_

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Once again, special thanks go to Daemon of Wrath, who helped write this chapter.

Apologies if the battle with Light's Shadow seemed a bit too face-paced, clunky or messy. We tried our best to make it as long and interesting as possible, but I believe combat is not my specialty. unless it is a curb stomp, in which case, look at Overlord for example. Can't get more op than that.

The design of Light's Shadow, Demiurge, was based on one of the concept arts for Persona 4 boss Kunino-sagiri, from the Persona 4 Official Design Works artbook. His gimmicks, forbidding certain things in battle to having a "death clock" are all taken from bosses from Persona Q: the Merciful Clergyman and the Clockwork God.

With this, the Kira Arc is now complete. However, the story isn't over just yet. Especially not when we have such an interest premise. You see, this story was never about the Phantom Thieves facing off against Kira and the power of the Death Note. Not at all. It's all about what happens when you have ideologies clashing in these sorts of situations.

In Death Note, except for the police force and other characters, Kira is universally seen as a paragon of justice. The one who decided what is wrong and what is right. In Persona 5, the Phantom Thieves become recognized as heroes who stand up for the little guy and attempt social reform. When you put two premises together, you get a giant moral debate with the world fully aware that there are individuals who possess a form of supernatural power. And that there are individuals who are chasing after these individuals.

So, now that Kira is defeated... You all know who L's attention will be directed at next.

Also, my next update will be Overlord/Grand Order. It's long overdue. I am also working on the next chapter for Fate/VRAINS as well, but that will be released on a later date.

* * *

 **REVIEW:**

treyalexander63917: There is a Persona/Death Note Crossover, but that one is set in Persona 4 era. It's a little weak and follows canon a little too closely, but I found it an enjoyable read nonetheless. Its titled, "If This Be Godhood" and its sequel "I Reject It." They're also what inspired this fic, though to be fair, it was Starlight's Poet who handed this story to me when he realized he had too much on his plate at the time.

foxchick1: I hope you enjoyed the result, my friend.

IrishKatana: Interesting thought, but no. Sayu will not be joining the Phantom Thieves.

Pixelmancer: I have thought about doing an extra chapter that is more or less the "Bad End" for this arc, but haven't thought about how to execute it for the reasons you mentioned. And I whole-heartedly agree on that sentiment. The ensuing conflict between ideals of justice will be interesting, but we all know that when it comes to detective work, L has everyone beat.

AwesomeMan327: As much as I would like to, I'm afraid I have enough characters with the cast of Death Note alone to handle. If I try to tackle too many extras, I might burn myself out! But otherwise, yes, I would love to incorporate Naoto, the Investigation Team, and the Shadow Operatives' interest on the Phantom Thieves and the whole Kira debacle. I can see Naoto becoming immediate friends with L, considering their profession.

theflash300: Please review on the proper story.

soberan 123: You are correct. The police won't take him seriously, except maybe Soichiro. He'd know Light wouldn't joke on the matter, and given how the Phantom Thieves, individuals who can cause a change of heart exist, it would be all the more credible. The only way Light could prove he is Kira is with the Death Note, but since his heart's been changed, the odds of him using it again are next to nothing. However, simply because the police would brush off his confession doesn't mean L wouldn't keep an eye on him.


	4. Justice, Rediscovered (Part 1)

_"_ _A breathtaking sight... Imitations they may be, but together, they make a fine spectacle." -Yusuke Kitagawa, "Persona 5"_

* * *

 **WARNING LETTER**

* * *

The social studies trip had arrived, and the Phantom Thieves - or rather only four of the five members, had all gathered. At first, Ryuji had complained about going and wanted nothing more than to ignore it in favor of going out elsewhere. However, once Ann had mentioned actresses, the blonde male changed his tune, much to their chagrin and amusement. Ren didn't think much of it. He wasn't interested in showbiz, but he was curious to know what topics the station would be covering. Especially when he learned that the students of Shujin would be part of a live audience with the Police Chief Soichiro Yagami and another guest. A detective, or so he heard.

He placed his bets on it being that Goro Akechi person he met in the cafe that one time. An odd fellow, but not entirely unpleasant. In fact, the two had more or less become involved on the topic of books, primarily detective novels and picaresque-themed sources of literature. Ren hadn't been the most active reader, but ever since obtaining a Persona, he found a newfound passion for anything documenting or telling a story of rebellion or a fight for freedom. Naturally, the story of the Gentleman Thief that was his Persona was the first book he read, and it quickly became his favorite.

Morgana complained he was obsessed with it, given how many times he had read it.

That aside, the trip hadn't shown much. In fact, as he expected, it was a drag. The hostess just dragged on and on so much that he felt as if he were being put to sleep. Something Ryuji could agree on. "This is _so_ not what I had in mind..." he muttered, stifling a yawn. "How much longer is this gonna take?"

"Could be worse." Ren shrugged. "We could be stuck with one of Ushimaru's lectures."

"Eh. You got a point. Old warhawk likes to drag on and on and on..."

Eventually, and much to their relief, an executive producer had came in and managed to get things back on track when the woman went on a tangent. Unfortunately, Ren and Ryuji found themselves doing grunt work when an aid that had attempted to hit on Ann, much to Morgana's annoyance, forced them to help clean up cables and whatnot when they got tangled. Considering how they were still somewhat sore after Light's Palace, they still felt as if their bodies were burning in pain.

Once everything was over and the students were allowed to wander for the break until lunchtime, the three students gathered in one of the halls. "Aren't we supposed to be guests?!" Ryuji complained angrily, not happy at all to be used by the same adults that pissed him off time before. "How the hell are we being treated like mules?! We took down Kira for god's sake."

"Say that a little louder, why don'tcha?" Ann deadpanned before smacking him in the arm. "You want to blurt out we're the Phantom Thieves too?"

"W-well, no..."

Ren shook his head, smirking inwardly. What a pair they made. Best to keep that to himself, though. He didn't want to get yelled at, especially not by Morgana. Really, how in the world Ann had no idea he was into her, he had no clue. Still, perhaps for the best until the cat learned how to get his body back. "This place is absolutely noisy." the cat complained as he poked his head out from the bag. "And this is where everything you see on TV gets recorded?"

"Yep." Ann nodded. "From the news to cartoon shows to even movie scenes. Everything gets filmed in studios like this one. Speaking of which, there's supposed to be a live interview with the police chief from the Kanto Police Department. That's Ki-" She caught herself quickly, reminding herself that the serial killer had been defeated and therefore gone from the world. "I mean, Light Yagami's dad, right?"

"Probably gonna be about Kira." Ryuji guessed, scratching the back of his head. "By the way, any word about that guy from Sayu-san?"

Ren nodded, albeit somberly. Sayu had contacted him through Mishima, much like before via messages and whatnot since she didn't have his contact info. She confirmed the change of heart and that Light had confessed everything. She did seem skeptical about the idea of a notebook being able to kill people, but she was willing to believe it when he showed her the list of names and the details behind each victim's deaths. He didn't dare to imagine what that must have done to the poor girl. However, she did resolve on doing her best to help her brother. It had only been two or three days at most, but so far all she reported was that Light looked like he was having trouble sleeping, evident by the dark rings under his eyes.

He relayed this info. The two looked concerned, in spite of the fact that said topic of discussion was a murderer. "Can't say I blame him." Ryuji said. "I mean, when you compare what he's done to Kamoshida or Madarame, it ain't much of a contest. Stuff like that is gonna weigh on him hard, and it isn't going to help him."

"And he can't exactly confess to the police." Ann added. "They'd just think he was crazy unless he showed them how that Death Note works. Actually, does he still have it?"

"According to Sayu, he did try giving it back to Ryuk." Morgana told them. "However, he refused to take it back, so Light Yagami still has ownership."

"Seriously?"

Ryuji scrunched his forehead in thought. "Why the hell not? That thing was his to begin with, wasn't it?" he questioned. None of them understood why Ryuk wouldn't take back the Death Note. It just seemed too crazy. "Is he just looking for an excuse to stay here a while longer?"

"Could be." Ren noted the possibility. "Let's wait a while longer for Sayu-san to tell us more about what's happening with Light."

His friends nodded in agreement. As much as they wanted to understand what went through the mind of an apple-obsessed death god, they couldn't dwell much. For now, they had other matters to concern themselves with. Wanting to move away from the rather depressing topic, Ann wisely changed the subject. "Once we're done, we get to go home straight away, so why don't we hang around the area? See the sights a little?"

"Oh, yeah." Ryuji realized. "This is your first time coming to Suidobashi, right, RenRen?"

Said teen adjusted his glasses, creating a reflective glare. "Please don't call me that." He was promptly ignored, much to his chagrin.

"In that case, we should check out a couple of places." Ann smiled. "I know a few shops we can check out."

Morgana's eyes sparkled. "Ooh! Ooh! There's a place I want to go! The pancake-looking place we saw on our way here!"

"Pancake?" Ryuji scratched his head. "You talkin' about Dome Town? That place has an amusement park and a baseball stadium, along with some pretty hardcore rides. My favorite's the roller coaster one!"

 _'Huh. Roller coasters, huh?'_ Ren thought idly. A mental image of him and the others on one came to mind. With Morgana in his bag. And it would be Morgana's first time on a roller coaster too. Immediately, he frowned. "I don't want him puking in my bag." Morgana looked alarmed at this, taken aback by this information. Puking? He would puke if he got on a roller coaster?!

"It'll be fine! Don't worry, we'll be awesome tour guides!" Ryuji promised. "Man, I can't remember the last time I went to Dome Town. Been so long..."

"Ah! I thought that mess of hair looked familiar."

The thieves blinked and turned around. Approaching them was a teen their age, wearing a jacket over a white dress shirt with a tie and black dress pants and neat brown hair with red eyes. He wore gloves over his hands, and in one hand was a silver briefcase. Ren immediately recognized Akechi and greeted him with a small nod. "Been a while."

"I suppose so." Akechi chuckled. "I wasn't expecting to see you here of all places. Perhaps it's fate at work?"

Ryuji cocked his head. He seemed familiar with his friend, but he didn't recognize him. Meaning it was someone he didn't know. "Uh, who are you?"

"Oh, where are my manners?" Akechi face-palmed and shook his head. "My name's Goro Akechi. You must be friends of Amamiya-kun. It's nice to meet you."

Ann recognized the name immediately. Given her part-time job, it would be hard not to, considering all the ads she had seen him on, as well as personal magazines relating to menial topics that caught her fancy a few times. Things that would only interest girls. Immediately, she became concerned and looked worriedly at Ren. He understood her concerns, and made a gesture saying that they would discuss it later. The only one among them who didn't seem to know was Ryuji, who was looking at Akechi still in confusion.

"So, you're some kind of celebrity?"

"Partially. I've been on TV a few times, but nothing more." he said as he waved a hand. "I don't believe I caught your name, though."

"Ryuji. You already know RenRen, and that's Ann over there."

Akechi couldn't help but give an amused look as he shot a look at Ren over Ryuji's pet name. In response, he gave him a glare and dared him to comment on it. Even if he couldn't summon his Persona, he would ensure that Akechi never made it out of here alive. "I see." he chuckled wryly, cupping his chin. "Interesting."

"So, how'd you meet anyway?"

"I recently became a regular at the cafe Amamiya-kun works at." Akechi answered. Seeing as how this was the first the thieves had heard it, they were surprised to learn that Ren worked at a cafe and made a mental note to ask him about it later. Who knows? Maybe they'd even give it a visit, especially given how he often boasted about being a student of the art of coffee. Ann was partial to the stuff, and Ryuji had never tasted coffee a day in his life. "We somehow managed to bond over books. I believe it was Edogawa Ranpo's _The Boys Detective Club_?"

"Close." Ren corrected. " _The Case of the Murder on D. Hill_."

"Ah, right. I have to admit, it was quite refreshing to discuss with you. Speaking of which, if you don't mind indulging me for a bit, I'd like to bring up another debate. I imagine it will also be mentioned in the show today." Akechi's demeanor changed considerably. He was still smiling, but it didn't match the gleam in his eyes. He seemed more attentive and alert. "What do you think about Kira?"

A loaded question, that one. As the thieves learned when they entered Light Yagami's palace to gather information on anything that could be of use, they learned that the vast majority of people on the net were singing praises of the man. Even in public, there was widespread outspoken support. The kind that was normally frowned upon. On more than one occasion did people see posters and graffiti that was practically Kira propaganda. To say that they were stunned would be an understatement of massive proportions. They couldn't understand how people could admire someone like this. Especially when Kira had killed someone on live television when he openly opposed him. That should have made some detractors, but it only garnered support. Thankfully, there were still a few people who didn't support Kira. The minority who made themselves known on a few occasions.

"He's a serial killer and a psycho." Ryuji said flatly, but careful with his choice of words. He didn't want to clue him in on the fact they knew who Kira was. "If you ask me, guy has a serious god complex."

Ren nodded. "He isn't what I'd call a good person."

"On that, I couldn't agree more." Akechi nodded whole-heartedly. "While I do admit their way of doing things does have results, what they have done cannot be condoned. Sadly, the public doesn't share that consensus. In a poll this studio conducted a few days ago, over 76% of the general public believed that Kira was correct in his methods." At their looks of stunned disbelief, Akechi laughed. "I had that same reaction when I heard it myself. And as you can imagine, not many police officers were thrilled to hear it, either. However, you can't deny that Kira's methods do have some merit. Before he appeared, do you know what the average crime rate was in Japan?"

"No." Ren answered truthfully. "What?"

"In the past, Japan's crime rate was among the lowest in the world. Now, when you compare it to other countries like the United States, it's begun to skyrocket. Almost every day on the news, you hear about crimes being carried out daily. And that is to say nothing about crimes that haven't come to light, like the cover-up at Shujin Academy with Suguru Kamoshida or the plagiarism and abuse that Madarame's pupils underwent." Akech told them. "When Kira appeared, and word of their exploits came to light, crime suddenly dropped to almost unheard of levels. In the past month alone, there are almost no reported incidents such as murders, kidnappings, etc."

Ryuji's jaw became unhinged. "Effin' hell..."

"I agree. Quite startling, wouldn't you say?" Akechi bemoaned as he sighed sadly, shaking his head. It was clear he was not happy with the news himself. Not surprising, as he was a detective. Even though they may be technically enemies, Ren knew the man had standards. "And given the incident with Lind L. Tailor, many police officers have begun to fear for their safety. Kira made it clear anyone who's after them is fair game." He paused briefly, then smiled. "However, I can name a few people who are willing to stand up to someone like that."

"Would their name happen to be a letter?" Ren smirked.

The detective nodded. "L-san is among them, yes. But he wasn't the one I was talking about. You'll be meeting him today, I'd wager." He glanced at his watch, then his eyes widened. "Oh my. I'm terribly sorry. Our break is nearly over, and here I am, talking your ears off."

"It's fine." Ann told him. "In fact, it was...enlightening, even if a bit depressing."

"Thank you, Takamaki-san." Akechi said gratefully before he pursed his lips in thought. "Speaking of break, I'm rather awfully hungry. Pancakes do sound delicious, now that I think about it."

Ren frowned. "Pancakes?"

"Oh, well, I could have sworn you were talking about pancakes earlier." Akechi said. "Hm, perhaps I was hearing things. Well, I'll be out of your hair." He then shot one more glance at Ren, smiling. "Hopefully, I'll see you at Leblanc again. I still haven't given up on proving you wrong in regards to Arsene Lupin."

The frizzy-haired teen rolled his eyes. "In your dreams, _Kogoro_." he shot back, eliciting a grin from the detective before he bowed his head and walked away.

"Talk about weird..." Ryuji muttered. "I barely kept up with him about that crime rate stuff. All I got out of that was that our country's turned to shit lately. Not that it's surprising. But hey, that's what we're here for, right?" The two nodded, all sharing a grin. "Still, what was up with that guy? He some kind of detective or something?"

"Spot on, Ryuji." Morgana remarked, popping out of the bag now that Akechi was gone. "He's a so-called _detective prince_. And apparently, he's investigating us." The blonde delinquent spluttered, looking like a deer in headlights before he stared at Ren in shock, clearly questioning how he seemed so lax and familiar with someone who was technically after them. "Still, hearing about all of that stuff now... It makes me wonder how things will look once word about Kira's _retirement_ hits the street. If crime does go back up, business will be booming for the phantom thieves."

"True." Ann nodded. "But Akechi-kun wasn't kidding. Our break's almost over, so let's head on back to the studio."

They left the hallway. As they walked out and into the main area, Ryuji noticed the troubled look on his friend's face. "Something up, man?"

"I dunno. Something's just bothering me is all." Ren told him. He didn't know why, but something about what Akechi said had been nagging him. For the life of him, though, he couldn't figure out why. He eventually gave up and thought it was just his nerves. "Never mind. Let's go."

* * *

CHAPTER 04: Justice, Rediscovered (Part I)

* * *

The past few days had not been kind to Light whatsoever. Not since he received the calling card of the Phantom Thieves.

Prior to the sudden change, the weight of what he had been doing all this time suddenly crashing down on him all at once, he had been busy ensuring that criminals would die at the specified times he had set routinely. He had even been in the process of writing Raye Penber's name into the Death Note. Thankfully, he had not finished writing the man's name, stopping just short of the last letter before the Phantom Thieves' change of heart triggered. Now, he could barely look at his desk without feeling his stomach violently protest and attempt to force bile up his throat.

When his father returned home, Sayu had made an excuse for him, saying that he was studying for the college entrance exam. A load of bull, but Soichiro had accepted it without complaint. After dinner ended, Sayu had spent the whole day with him in his room, comforting him and convincing him not to turn himself over to the police. She told him how she didn't want to lose him, and that she didn't want to see their father distraught when he learned of the fact. Light tried to fight her, but she had brought up good points. He didn't want to see, nor imagine the face his father would have when he would put the handcuffs on him. And he didn't dare think what Sayu's life would be like, staying in an empty house with no one to greet her when she returned home.

Despite her efforts, however, Light was still suffering the consequences. He tried to live normally, but every waking moment reminded him of his sins. He couldn't focus in class. He didn't pay attention to the lectures whatsoever. And he was starting to lose sleep. He could get maybe two or three hours before the nightmares forced him awake, leaving him short of breath and skin covered in sweat. And every time he closed his eyes, he could see the faces of all the men he killed. They were criminals, sure, but they were still human beings. And they must have had families. And he killed them all without a second thought. They wanted him to pay and haunted him every night, dragging him down with them to the depths of hell.

He just wanted it all to stop.

Early on, the major source of his troubles didn't just stem from his consciousness, but also from the thing that started all of this in the first place. That goddamn notebook. It hadn't so much as moved from his desk since that day, and he didn't dare touch it. The only time he did was when he attempted to return it to Ryuk. He had forfeited his ownership, but...

"W-what?!"

 **"I said, you can keep it."** Ryuk repeated, sounding a little bored as he dug into his ear. **"In fact, think of it as a souvenir! A good luck charm! Hell, a memento of our time together!"**

Light stared at Ryuk, a mix of horror and shock. This-this can't be right. This wasn't supposed to happen. "But, this is yours, isn't it?" he questioned the Shinigami. "You even said it belonged to you!"

 **"It does. But I decide whether or not I want it back."** the Shinigami said bluntly. **"Besides, don't you need it to change the world?"**

His words were intentional, that much Light knew. They hurt, so much so that it showed on his face. Ryuk laughed at his expression, making him scowl. "...you have no intention of taking it back, do you?"

 **"Oh, I had planned on it when things got so boring. But now, what with everything that's been going on, I say I can stick around a while longer! If only just to see how things play. Of course, you _could_ destroy the notebook. Then you could forget everything that's happened. Might even ease your conscious~"**

But Light didn't. In spite of the truth in Ryuk's words, he knew that even if he did, a part of him would remember the pain. More than that, he _wanted_ someone to find it. Someone that could prove that he was Kira and ensure that he paid for his crimes. But how long would it take? How much would he need to suffer before he'd be free of all this?

And so it sat there, in plain view until someone found it and exposed him. But that thought hadn't provided him solace as he once thought. Other thoughts plagued his mind. What would happen if a burglar broke into their home, found it and used it for their own ends? That terrified him more than anyone, as he didn't dare think what would happen if a new Kira appeared. One far more selfish than he once was. So he returned the notebook to its former place, hiding in that secret compartment and hoping that nothing would happen.

Life continued on. But Light Yagami hadn't moved with it. He was sitting in a classroom, barely paying any attention while he stared blankly at the textbook on his desk. The class droned on, and the teacher in the midst of a lecture. He tried to read the words, but they were all just so bleary to him. He rubbed his eyes, trying to focus and push his mind on other things, but the result was the same. _'C'mon, Light. Get your act together.'_ he scolded himself. _'If someone sees you like this...'_

If they did, what would they do? Say he was Kira simply because he was slacking? Worried or overjoyed that the number one honor student was finally showing a human side?

"Light-kun?" the teacher called. He looked up and frowned. Everything was so...bleary. "Can you read this passage aloud?"

What? Passage? Dammit, he _really_ needed to focus. Hoping to wing it, or maybe just get it over with, Light stood up...and then found his body shaking. _'Huh?'_ His body turned heavy. Before he realized it, he collapsed beneath his own weight and fell to the floor, much to the shock and surprise of the class before he heard shouts of worry. He could have sworn he heard the teacher call out his name. _'What's going...'_

Then his world faded to black.

* * *

"And now, onto the "Hottest Meet-And-Greet" segment of our show! And today, we have two very special guests with us today! One of them was brought back after his well-received appearance with us last time, so we couldn't afford to not bring him here again." the hostess said with that fake, routine smile on her face before she gestured her hand to the two men sitting on the other couch beside her and her co-worker. "Introducing Goro Akechi, the Second Coming of the Detective Prince and Kanto region police chief, Soichiro Yagami!"

Ren perked up, now at attention. "Yagami?" Ryuji blinked in surprise, leaning forward with renewed interest. "Then, this guy is...?"

"Seems like." Morgana nodded. They had heard there would be a special guest, but they hadn't guessed it would be Light's father. And given what Akechi had said earlier, it seemed to be a natural choice if his words proved true.

Soichiro Yagami was definitely older than how he appeared in the photograph, which was understandable. There were a few stripes of gray hair, and he sported a bushy mustache, and his face seemed more gaunt and sturdy than before. His eyes were dark, shining with intelligence and a fiery resolve that one would see on the more fierce of individuals. Befitting his status, he was dressed in a brown suit with a dress shirt and black tie.

While Chief Yagami seemed quite unused to the sudden interest and seemed quite abashed, Akechi took it all in stride and smiled. "Nice to see you again." he greeted amicably.

"I have to say, Akechi-kun, your popularity is as stunning as ever!" the male host said with a wide grin. "It must be hard work, being a detective on top of being a high school student."

"It can be, at times. But I rather enjoy the profession, considering all the opportunities it gives me. In fact, I hope one day, I might be able to work alongside the original detective prince." Akechi admitted. "Though speaking of detective work, I must admit, I do find it surprising that Yagami-san agreed to join us today."

Soichiro grunted. "That's because of a bumbling idiot by the name of Matsuda and an overbearing boss of mine asking me to take a break." he admitted. Said idiot happened to be watching the broadcast at this moment and couldn't help but weep inside after having been insulted by the man he respected, but everyone else knew Soichiro meant it in light gesture. "But I can't say the time off isn't so bad. For one, it gives me a chance to come home to my children."

"I hear your son is one of the brightest students in all of Japan!" the hostess commented. "They even say he might be the next Akechi-kun."

"Light is talented, but he's still too young to get involved in police work. Of course, that's me being a father. Given everything that's been going on right now, I'd rather be safe than sorry."

"Speaking of things happening, there's been quite the buzz going around." the male host crossed his leg, adjusting his glasses. "Akechi-kun, is it true you've taken on a new case?"

Akechi smiled. "If you are referring to the scandal involving Ichiryusai Madarame, then yes, I am currently investigating the Phantom Thieves." he admitted. His admission put the thieves on high alert, with Ryuji not-so-subtly shooting glares at him. Ann smacked him in the shoulder and told him to stop unless he wanted attention. "Between them and Kira and L-san, Japan's become the center of attention these days. Actually, before I answer anymore questions on that matter, there's a question I'd like to ask Yagami-san." The police chief seemed surprised, but nodded. "Tell me, as a police officer, on top of the chief of the Kanto Police Department, what are your thoughts on the Phantom Thieves?"

"That's...rather difficult." Soichiro closed his eyes as he leaned back, head tilted in thought. "Speaking as an officer, the Phantom Thieves of Hearts are acting outside the law. Yes, the men they targeted were despicable, but if they really wanted to help, they should have informed the police." Ren silently groaned. Of course he'd say that. But he knew that method would never work. Not when both Kamoshida and Madarame were careful. The former was protected by Kobayakawa, and Madarame was too well-known and respected by the public to believe such ridiculous claims. However, Soichiro wasn't finished. "But if I'm speaking as an individual, I can't help but feel thankful for what they did. Kamoshida and Madarame were horrible men, protected by those who valued their presence. As sad as it is to admit, others were willing to hide their deeds, all the while turning a blind eye to the people who suffered because of them."

Soichiro paused, then gave a worn smile. "That, and this will prove to be a very negative opinion to the general public, but I would rather support the Phantom Thieves, who change hearts and turn men to the straight path than someone who plays judge, jury and executioner."

That brought smiles to the Phantom Thieves. It was nice hearing that, as far as morality went, the police believed in them. However, their smiles dimmed when they realized that, while Soichiro didn't know it, he had condemned his own son.

"Speaking of Kira, we'd like to ask Akechi-kun about his opinion."

"Asking the hard questions, eh? You'd make a fine interrogator." Akechi joke, eliciting a few laughs in response. "But to answer them, like Yagami-san, if I were to choose between the Phantom Thieves and Kira as a necessary evil, I would say the Phantom Thieves. Do I support either of them? No. But in terms of morality, or at least based on what we've seen so far, the Phantom Thieves aren't trying to kill men they perceive as evil. They simply make them have a change of heart. While I'm unsure if that is hypnosis or something else, it's a better alternative than say killing a man simply because he was a criminal." Akechi paused, then smiled bashfully and scratched his cheek. "And I have no doubt that now everyone is flaming me online. Public support for Kira is quite terrifying."

The hostess giggled at joke. Ren, however, noted that her smile became strained when Akechi voiced his support for the thieves, if only because of the reasons he stated. A Kira supporter herself, it seemed. Her co-worker seemed to have picked up on it and quickly spoke again before anything could happen. "Two men of the law, voicing their support for the Phantom Thieves? I dare say hell is freezing over. But continuing on, Akechi-kun! Hypothetically removing Kira from the equation, if the Phantom Thieves were the only justice-oriented heroes, what are your thoughts?"

"As a detective, I would feel as if it were a real-life telling of the struggle between Sherlock Holmes and Arsene Lupin." Akechi said simply. "Of course, while I pale in comparison to L-san, our modern day Sherlock, and if I may toot my own horn, I believe I am quite capable. The Phantom Thieves leave no trace of their crimes. All anyone finds are their calling cards, and the results of their success. Gentlemen thieves they may be, changing the hearts of corrupt men, I can't help but want to compare them to Kira for a moment." This earned surprised and confused looks from the crowd, the thieves especially. Compare them to Kira? "Recall early on when Kira first appeared how criminals all across the world were dropping like flies. Like the Phantom Thieves, who can seemingly change a person's heart without being present and by some supernatural means, Kira can kill with a heart attack and strike from anywhere in the world. At first, I thought he was a well-intention extremist, acting on morality."

Akechi's eyes then hardened. His shoulders became squared, and his mouth became set in a firm line. "Then he murdered Lind L. Tailor on live television. Then it became abundanly clear that Kira would kill anyone who dared to speak out against him or were pursuing him. Was he always like that? Perhaps he was. Or maybe the power to kill corrupted him. So far, the Phantom Thieves only change hearts. What's to say they won't change their methods and begin to act more violently?"

"Like hell we would." Ryuji seethed. He couldn't believe the nerve of this guy! Telling them they'd end up like Kira, or worse. His earlier positive impressions of Goro Akechi had faded and were replaced by animosity. He wasn't a shitty adult, but he was pretty damn close to being one.

* * *

He had fainted. That was what had happened shortly after he woke up in the school infirmary. If it weren't for the fact that his mind was elsewhere, Light would have laughed aloud at the absurdity of it all. He, of all people, fainting. God, it sounded so pathetic.

The teachers immediately assumed that he had been pushing himself too hard. That he was studying far more than he should. Given his track record, they were more than willing to ease up on him, and even tell him it was fine to skip a day of school or two. Favoratism was immediately called by others when they heard it. Light was pretty much used to people glaring at him, but now he found their stares entirely uncomfortable.

 **"Yeesh. I knew getting your heart changed was going to do wonders to your personality, but fainting in the middle of class?"** Ryuk snickered to himself, floating unseen to everyone but his unwilling host. **"Gotta admit. It was actually kind of funny."**

Light gritted his teeth, refraining from yelling. He gripped the strap to his book bag tighter, eyes focused ahead of him. "I really wish you'd leave me alone. The only reason you hanged around me was because I was your primary source of entertainment, right?"

 **"And you still are! It's funny watching you mope like some emo kid on a soap opera!"**

Oh, how he wished he could have punched the Shinigami. He really did. Anything to get rid of his damned mug. As he walked, Light stopped when he saw a familiar face from cram school. It was Sudou again, smirking as always with that nasty look in his eye. The resident bully and self-proclaimed alpha. Light could count the number of times he had seen him hound someone on one hand alone. What he saw was nothing new. Some kid he was harassing for money to hit up the arcade as usual.

However, Sudou's smirk was different. It seemed far more angry than smug. He was too far away for Light to hear him clearly, but judging by the look on the poor kid's face, it was clear that Sudou was in a foul mood. A fact made evident when he rammed his fist into his victim's gut, knocking the wind right out of him. The only reason he didn't fall to his legs was because Sudou had one hand wrapped around the collar of his shirt. The brutality and sheer anger behind it was enough to stun Light. This was different than usual. He had never seen him so brutal before. At the very least, he's never seem him so violent.

The first thing that came to mind was that Sudou didn't deserve to live. Then after that came shame and anger directed at himself. Why had that thought entered his mind? Even if Sudou was a piece of shit, he didn't deserve to die like everyone else. Light continued to stare at the sight, as if debating what he should do before he closed his eyes and turned away, walking past the sight and pretending he wasn't hearing Sudou beating someone up. **"Hey, aren't you going to do anything?"** Ryuk tilted his head. **"That kid could be in trouble. Shouldn't you, you know, go and save him?"**

Light didn't answer, because he didn't know how to respond. How was he supposed to, when he had long since the right to decide what was right and what was wrong.

He didn't even know what justice was anymore.

* * *

Light had returned home in a somber mood, but put up the best smile he could when Sayu saw him. He helped her make dinner and the two sat down at the table. Ryuk had flown up to his room to go snack on his daily feast of apples. Good riddance too. His continued existence was a harsh reminder for Light of what he had done with his notebook. To try and ease his mind off of things, Light discussed how things were going at school. As he expected, Sayu was struggling with exams. Before he realized it, he was already making plans to help her.

In the past, it was the best feeling in the world, seeing her smile. Now, all it did was just rip a hole in him.

In the background, the TV was blaring. There was an interview going on. To the siblings' surprise, it was his father and someone else. "Goro?" Light blinked, not expecting him to be there.

"Eh?!" Sayu seemed surprise for some reason. "Light, you know Akechi-san?!"

"Well, yeah. He's a classmate." he told her, shocking her greatly. Then he realized why she seemed so stunned. Goro Akechi was the famed high school detective. The two had never really interacted, and the school seemed to think that they were rivals. They were also total opposites: whereas Light had a small social circle, if it could even be called that, and spent every waking moment preparing himself for the future, Goro Akechi was a social butterfly and pretty much did everything without trouble. Hard work and talent, it seemed. "You a fan?"

"K-kind of..."

 _"-_ _If you are referring to the scandal involving Ichiryusai Madarame, then yes, I am currently investigating the Phantom Thieves. Between them and Kira and L-san, Japan's become the center of attention these days. Actually, before I answer anymore questions on that matter, there's a question I'd like to ask Yagami-san. Tell me, as a police officer, on top of the chief of the Kanto Police Department, what are your thoughts on the Phantom Thieves?"_

 _"That's...rather difficult. Speaking as an officer, the Phantom Thieves of Hearts are acting outside the law. Yes, the men they targeted were despicable, but if they really wanted to help, they should have informed the police. But if I'm speaking as an individual, I can't help but feel thankful for what they did. Kamoshida and Madarame were horrible men, protected by those who valued their presence. As sad as it is to admit, others were willing to hide their deeds, all the while turning a blind eye to the people who suffered because of them._ _That, and this will prove to be a very negative opinion to the general public, but I would rather support the Phantom Thieves, who change hearts and turn men to the straight path than someone who plays judge, jury and executioner."_

Light's hand trembled. The world seemed to stop for a moment. He felt like he had just been shot. His father said that. His own _father_ said that! The TV was shut off instantly. Sayu's face was no longer cheerful, nor was she focused on eating. Instead, she stood next to him and comforted Light as he was on the verge of breaking. Compared to before, he may as well have been a different person.

"It's okay, Light." Sayu tried to assure him, but he didn't believe a word of it. He just couldn't... "It's okay..."

* * *

Between the talk of the Phantom Thieves, the Kira case and everything else in between, Light's mental health had not been going well. It had eventually reached the point where Soichiro, having learned about his spill in class the other day, recommended he take a few days off and recuperate. He could see that his son was troubled by something, but he didn't know what. Light wanted to tell him, but his tongue was always tied. Nothing he tried worked.

And his usual attempts to ignore Ryuk never worked either.

The dreams, combined with the stress, had eventually led to Light deciding to try and seek out some kind of help. This led him to a place called Hiiragi Therapy.

The office's presence felt, for lack of better words, otherworldly, and at the same time comforting. The tension in his body lessened, and the dark haze in his mind cleared, if only briefly. It was colored deep blue, with various ornaments such as stars, waves and orbs and whatnot. The walls were decorated in wreaths and pictures of abstract artworks, all having vibrant colors that blended together wonderfully. The center of the room had two seats, divided by a round table with a lamp exuding smoke out from it and what looked like a deck of cards.

Greeting him was a woman in her thirties, but still fairly young. Short brown hair and kind eyes that spoke of understanding and soothing pain. She introduced herself as Maki Sonomura. From what Light learned, she had succeeded her mentor, Hiiragi, when she had retired on account of a debilitating injury. Though she was still quite young at the time of her succession, she was still well-known by many in her field. She was also known for her fortune telling, a past time she took up only a few years ago.

"First things first, Yagami-kun, how do you feel? At this moment right now, I mean." Sonomura asked, sitting across from him with a clipboard in her hand.

Off to the side Ryuk was staring at her oddly, as if finding her fascination. **"Huh. Those kids from earlier were one thing, but running into another one is just weird."** he said with a cocked head.

He ignored him. Whatever he meant, he didn't know. Nor did he care. Light offered her a small, tired smile as he let himself settle in the seat. "Earlier, I felt like I was losing my mind. Like every passing second, this pressure in my chest just got worse. But now... I dunno. This place feels calming."

"Incense." Sonomura told him with a smile. "My own little concoction. I've heard it works wonders. Now then, Yagami-kun, you said you were a senior at Daikoku Private Academy right? Are you feeling stressed about exams?"

"I wish. It's...more complicated than that." He was a murderer. A killer. And right now, he was walking free. Even if Sayu had begged him to stay, the guilt was maddening. She was being kind, and she wanted her brother - the Light Yagami that cared for her back then - back, but she had no idea how cruel she was being. "I think you'd call me crazy."

The therapist smiled. "I know a few people who are crazy. Some of them are even my friends." she told him. "Believe me, whatever you tell me, I think it'll be normal by my standards."

She was wrong. Oh, so wrong. Light wasn't sure how to tell her. He was silent for the longest time, but she was patient, calmly waiting for him. She could tell that whatever was eating him up was causing him a great deal of grief. Light took the moment to collect his thoughts, then let out a heavy breath and leaned his head back. "I...have this power. A power that I used to...k-kill people." Sonomura blinked. Light's face was marred with sadness and forlorn, unable to meet her eyes. "When I got it, I thought it was a joke or something. But, when I used it, and I realized it was real, I got scared. That I had become a murderer. Then I tried to rationalize what I did. I tried to tell myself because those men were evil that they had to die."

"...why did you think that, Yagami-kun?" Sonomura asked, her voice calm and low.

He took a few seconds to form an answer. "When mom died, I more or less had to take care of Sayu by myself. Dad was a police officer, so he was always busy. I didn't blame him for it. In fact, I idolized him for it. Him and his partner. They were people I wanted to be like. So I did everything I could to earn a scholarship and make it to a good university. I did the best in school and any sport I played. I tried to be the perfect honors student." He reminisced about those young, innocent days. Oh, how he wished he could have gone back to those times. Back to before these hands became stained in red. "So when I got this power to kill, I was terrified and sickened by what I had done. I couldn't believe I did what I did. Then I thought, maybe I had this power for a reason. For as long as I could remember, I saw how sick this world was."

"Sick?" Sonomura asked. Light heard the faint tapping of her ballpoint pen. "How do you mean?"

"Because I wanted to be a police officer, and maybe because I was more aware of things than most, I saw how people treated one another. How murderers got away scott-free. How corrupt politicians were taking control of the system. How corrupt cops were skirting around the law, doing however they pleased. Because I saw that, I thought the world was rotting. Then I got to thinking: if I was given this power, and those men were evil, I should kill them. Then maybe the world can be a better place for Sayu." Light's smile turned bitter, hanging his head further in shame. A young Sayu Yagami flashed in his mind, barely out of grade school and with a beaming grin. "When I was in Elementary School, there was a news report about a shooter taking refuge in a school. No one was killed, but a lot of people were injured in the incident."

Sonomura seemed to understand what he was getting at, as her eyes softened and briefly stopped the motions of her pen. "The school was the one your sister went to, wasn't it?"

Light nodded. "She had a fever that day, so she couldn't go. But even so, I thought: _Oh, god. What if Sayu had been there? What if she had gotten hurt?_ When I thought back to that incident, and when I got this power... I decided to try and make a world where Sayu could be safe. Where the day something like that incident would never happen again. But, somewhere down the line, I lost sight of myself. I went crazy. Some people set me straight, and now I..." Something wet dripped down his cheeks. It took him a moment to realize that he was crying. "I don't know...what to do...!"

His whimpers dissolved into sobs. At some point, Sonomura had walked over and held him close. She said nothing, just holding him while he cried on her shoulder. Here he was, a stranger confessing he had killed people, and this woman was comforting him. She was a saint. A better person than he was. When the waterworks finished, she had offered him a refreshing cup of Oolong Tea to help his nerves. It seemed to help, but he still felt cold and dreary.

"I won't lie to you, Yagami-kun. What you did was horrible." Sonomura said. There was no harshness to it. She didn't sound like she was making an observation. But there was a softness to her voice. Like she was chiding a child. "It can't be forgiven. But, that doesn't mean you can't own up to what you've done."

"But, how do I make up for all the people I've killed?" Light asked desperately. "I can't even tell the police, or my own father. My sister is the only reason I haven't turned myself in, and even if told them the truth, they wouldn't believe me."

"Perhaps." Sonomura nodded in agreement. "But atoning by way of penance isn't the only way to absolve a wrongdoing." At Light's confusion, she gave him a smile and took the deck from the table and set it in the center, spreading out the cards. There were over twenty spread out, all randomly shuffled and placed in a neat order. "Fortune telling is something I've taken a shine to. I'm no expert, but sometimes, they can offer you advice, Yagami-kun. Even if they're done with the same cards, the readings are always different. Want to give it a try?"

He didn't put stock into fortune, but hey. What did he have to lose? Light shrugged, and Sonomura continued. Her hand moved to the card at the far left corner, taking the card at the end of the first row and flipping it over. " _The Death Arcana_ in the upright position. Despite the name, it doesn't signify misfortune. It represents something coming to an end, a change or transformation, and perhaps a transition in life." The next card was the one in the center in the second column. " _The Tower_ , in the reversed. It could represent a personal transformation, the aversion of a disaster, or perhaps a fear of changing." The third card she took was the one at the bottom, in the same column she revealed the first card. " _The Hanged Man_ , in the upright position. Pause, surrender, new perspectives, and letting go. These are what it represents." The last card was in the second row, second to last on the left-hand side. " _The Star_. In the upright position, it represents hope, faith, purpose, renewal and spirituality."

"And...what does it all mean?"

"That you have changed. And because of that change, a disaster has been averted, and it gives you a new opportunity. And with that opportunity is a new purpose. Something that will guide you to a new path." Sonomura told him. Light didn't understand what she meant. Not at first. Yet somehow, he felt that he could take her words as truth.

The session ended in the afternoon. Light thanked Sonomura and paid her, taking his leave. Ryuk followed after him, amused by how everything turned out. He had been greatly intrigued by the fortune, knowing that something was indeed planned. But what was the question. Unknown to either, Sonomura watched them leave with a sad expression, eyes following Light's retreating back. "That poor boy." she muttered, a hand reaching to the pendant around her neck. A gift from someone she cared deeply for. "I pray the cards lead him to the right path." His story had unnerved her. It sounded too much like what she had been hearing lately. About Kira. Yet from what she garnered from those stories, Kira was a ruthless killer. And Light Yagami had realized he had done something horrible and was trying to find a way to make amends.

She prayed the boy would find peace someday soon. She had seen how the guilt was breaking him apart.

Unknown to her at the time, a change had occurred. A change that had been brought about long ago. One that was waiting for the right time to wake up.

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**

* * *

 _"_ _Kira is childish and he hates losing... I am also childish and I hate to lose. That's how I know." -L, "Death Note"_

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE** : I know I said my next update was going to be Overlord/Grand Order, but my muse had other ideas. To be perfectly honest, my fingers wanted to write this chapter more than anything else.

If anyone is wondering right now, Kira's absence hasn't been noticed yet. But it will soon enough, and L will be the first to know, as will everyone else. And once the world will learn... Yeah, I think we can all guess who everyone's attention will be focused on. If that quote doesn't tell you anything, L is not going to be happy that somebody took down Light before him.

For anyone who is new to the Persona series, including myself who needed to consult an expert and read the wiki, Maki Sonomura is a canon character. She is a character from _Shin Megami Tensei: Persona_. In _Persona 2_ , she works as a therapist and helps run a clinic-esque place in Innocent Sin. Given how I am trying to help flesh out Light's character post-Kira without losing the Death Note and resetting his memories, her inclusion was rather neat if I do say so myself. The tarot card scene was also inspired by the opening in Persona 4.

Also, there is a story I would like to recommend to everyone. Unfortunately, I cannot remember the name since I deleted my bookmark of it, but I do remember the premise. Simply, the protagonist has his own insecurities and is distorted to the point of having a Palace, in spite of possessing a Persona. The author does ignore that fact, and spins a wonderful tale that more than shows just one of the many possibilities that lay underneath Joker's mask. Again, I can't remember the name, but I do believe it is mentioned on Persona 5's TV Tropes Fanfic Recommendation's page.

Unlike before, Daemon of Wrath did not help me write this chapter. Even so, I still want to thank him for his contribution to this story. Give him your thanks as well, everyone.

* * *

 **REVIEW**

Gamelover41592: You are welcome!

treyalexander63917: It will be hard, especially since L will be able to figure them out in mere seconds. Of course, they do have one technical advantage: the Death Notes are a physical piece of evidence. The Metaverse is not. However, that isn't so much an advantage as it is the only thing that keeps L from figuring out how they initiate a change of heart.

foxchick1: This chapter is mostly just set up for what he's like after his heart has been changed. The next one will expand on it, and offer more.

superpierce: At the time, he was more pissed off and angry that someone had the gall to call him out on his shit than wonder how anyone could have figured out who he was. It's a reasonable reaction from Light, who gets majorly pissed when things don't go his way. Like when L got one over him in the college entrance ceremony and he threw a fit, simply because L revealed himself to him and that he knew L knew he was Kira on some level.

Luckenhaft: First off, good god that is one long review. Possibly the longest I've ever read. Second, all are good points. I'm glad you are enjoying the story so far!


	5. Justice, Rediscovered (Part 2)

_"_ _There is neither happiness nor misery in the world; there is only the comparison of one state with another, nothing more. He who has felt the deepest grief is best able to experience supreme happiness." -Alexandre Dumas_

* * *

 **WARNING LETTER**

* * *

When Ren Amamiya met Light Yagami for the first time outside the Metaverse, it had been entirely accidental. It was time to head to school, but much to his dismay, the trains were delayed due to a technical malfunction, forcing him on to another route. He was going to be dangerously close, and that was assuming he hauled ass. The train was completely packed, with very few seats available for him.

That was when he saw Ryuk hanging around, a sick and twisted smile still on his face and staring at him with wide amusement. Light Yagami was not too far away, sitting next to an open spot. The Shinigami was laughing mad at the strange reunion between the supposed god and phantom thief, making Light stare at the Shinigami with barely concealed contempt. Sayu Yagami had not been exaggerating: the poor man looked ready to fall apart at the seams. Ren was on edge, but Light seemed quite amicable, as he offered him the open space next to him when he found him searching for a spot.

"If that Shinigami talks to us at all, this could be trouble." Morgana whispered to Ren. "True, we changed his heart, but I still have reservations." Ren understood the not-cat's concerns. Even if Light underwent a change of heart, the Death Note was still in his possession. He didn't want to rule anything out. Morgana's worries then faded away into empathy, staring at Light with pity. "Guy looks like he hasn't had a decent sleep in days. And all this because his sister couldn't bear the thought of him turning himself in."

"Did you miss a train?" Light said suddenly. Ren blinked, realizing the honor student was talking to him. The brunette looked sheepish and scratched the back of his head. "Sorry. I just noticed that your uniform's from Shujin. Most Shujin students don't take this route."

"Train was delayed." Ren answered.

"I see." Light nodded in understanding.

And that was the end of the conversation. Light looked like he wanted to say something else, as emotions flickered back and forth in his eyes. But whatever words he wished to say went unsaid. The train ride was dead silent except for the hushed whispers and loud voices, and silent still even as the two departed. But it wouldn't be their last meeting.

* * *

CHAPTER 05: Justice, Rediscovered (Part II)

Ryuji stared at his phone with barely concealed contempt. "Un-freaking-believable!" he scowled as he more or less shoved the phone into Ren's face. "Look at this?! Do you believe this crap?!" Ren gave him a flat stare, pushing the phone away from his face before looking at it properly. There was a news article, discussing the results of the interview they attended at the TV Studio. Akechi, Soichiro and Kira were the hot topics, but the main highlight of the article was the discussion of the Phantom Thieves, as well as a poll.

"Huh." Ren said simply. "13% of the public believes in us."

"What? No, not that!" Ryuji shook his head. "I mean, what Akechi was saying! Seriously, what the hell?!"

"Ryuji, he's a detective." Morgana admonished the blonde delinquent, popping his head out of the bag. "Of course he's going to disagree with us. Plus, he raised several good points, even if they are slightly off the mark. As far as the public is concerned, we could end up being just as bad as Kira if we aren't careful."

Ryuji looked as if he wanted to protested, but he sighed rubbed the back of his neck. He was clearly upset by what Akechi had said, not that Ren blamed him. After all, the decision to continue being Phantom Thieves had mostly come from his suggestion, and more than that, he was the most invested. "I guess." he said bitterly. "Still, what he said really pisses me off." He paused for a moment, then smirked and flicked his nose. "Then again, we can always prove him wrong. Hell, might be more news worthy of the Phantom Thieves making the detective eat his words."

Ren chuckled at that. Ann showed up shortly, munching on what he assumed were pockey sticks. "Have you guys been hearing how everyone's raving about the interview from the other day?" she asked.

"Yeah. Me and RenRen were just talking about it." Ryuji nodded. "And it isn't just us. People are talking about Kira, too. Speaking of which, you'd think with how closely everyone keeps an eye out for this stuff since it happened, someone would notice that people haven't been dying recently. Well, people who are on Kira's shit list, anyway."

The frizzy-haired teen pursed his lips, thinking about what Ryuji had said. It had been several days since Light's heart was changed, and there had been no reported deaths in a while. He checked his phone and quickly looked up what his friend mentioned. Shortly after, he got results.

 _ **Hasn't there been less people dying lately? What's going on?**_

 _ **kira is taking a break thats all**_

 _ **The Phantom Thieves have been on a roll lately. You think they might've stolen Kira's heart?**_

 _ **Dude, if that were true, we would have heard about that by now!**_

 _ **but there HAVE been less people dying. maybe Kira is gone.**_

 _ **BLASPHEMY!**_

He wasn't about to finish the rest of that message, considering it was a page long and more of a religious rant than a comment. Still, it seemed like people were starting to notice, but only a mere handful people. He slipped his phone back into his pocket, then caught sight of someone behind them. As he turned around, he winced as a bright flash of light caught his eyes. "The hell?" Ryuji turned around, hearing a camera snapping. Standing by the corner was Makoto Niijima, holding up her phone. "Niijima-senpai?"

"The transfer student of infamy, the former track star and one of Kamoshida's victims." Makoto hummed as she lowered her phone. "Quite a pair."

"What do you want?" Ann narrowed her eyes. Originally, she didn't think much about Makoto Niijima, and at best she viewed her as an inconvenience when she was clearly suspicious of them when they met on the rooftop. However, she had overheard a few students talking about her, how she did nothing to stop Kamoshida even when it seemed like she knew something was up. Remembering what happened to Shiho, and Ann couldn't help but hate Makoto.

Makoto was unaware of this hate, but even she could tell that Ann didn't like her. Not that she really cared. She accepted that not everyone liked her. "You three always seem to be having so much fun." she shrugged. "To be honest, I'm a little jealous."

"Snooping on us again?" Ryuji frowned as he folded his arms. "Or you just hanging around for one of us to screw up or something?"

"Now, why would you think that?" Makoto tilted her head. "Are you some kind of trouble, perhaps? My ears are open to peer troubles, you know."

Not that she wanted them open. As much as she would have liked to listen to troubles, Kobayakawa was having her run around like some kind of damned slave. This farce for searching for the Phantom Thieves was nothing more than trying to save the school's face. She genuinely cared about the welfare of others, especially since she wanted to join the police department. She wanted to follow her father's footsteps and help others.

Ann gave her a glare, one that burned more than it should. Her words didn't help much either. "Are you that desperate for a letter of recommendation?" she accused. Makoto winced, recalling what Kobayakawa had offered her in exchange for investigating the Phantom Thieves. If she found them and reported them, she would get a recommendation to any college of her choosing. But it felt more like blackmail than anything else. Seeing the disgust on Ann's face made her heart hurt. She couldn't even look her in the eye.

"That's..."

"You even knew about Kamoshida, didn't you?"

"He was honestly a good-"

"Like hell he was!" Ryuji snarled. "He made Suzui try to commit suicide! He even confessed what he did in front of everyone! Or did you honestly believe that piece of shit was innocent?!"

Of course she didn't. She knew Kamoshida wasn't the man everyone claimed he was. But what else could she say or do? Her hands were tied! She turned her head away. Ann saw this as defeat and scoffed. "You always take the teacher's side, like some kind of pet. Isn't that what a good student president does, though?"

Makoto's hands curled into fists. "I didn't see you do anything for Suzui-san."

The blonde model's eyes burned. She looked ready to lunge, but Ren stepped in, a hand on her shoulder. A quick look from him, and any fierce protests she might have had vanished. Even so, that didn't diminish the harsh glare she sent her way. Yet that scathing glare didn't compare to the icy look Ren Amamiya gave her. Makoto didn't know why, but those gray eyes beneath those glasses seemed so much colder than Ann's. There was no anger or hate in them. Nothing. He was just staring at her, as if looking at her. No, that wasn't right. He was looking _past_ her. He didn't see her.

She knew all he saw was a girl playing puppet.

"Did you just come here to pick fights," Ren said quietly. "Or did you want something, senpai?"

Makoto opened her mouth, but the words died in her throat. She sighed deeply and shook her head. "No. We're done." she said, defeated as she turned away. Ann scoffed and turned away while Ryuji continued to glare holes into her back before Ren pulled him back to their conversation before they were interrupted. Makoto glanced at them over her shoulder before she slumped against the wall, clutching her phone to her chest. She bit her lip and lowered her head.

Why couldn't she say anything? Why did those words hurt worse than they should? She looked at her phone. She had everything she needed. It would be so easy to just report them, now that she had some evidence. It wouldn't be enough, but given their backgrounds, it would be enough, right? So why couldn't she? It would be so easy.

Her mind raced back to his face. Her father's and her childhood friend. The people who believed in justice, more than anyone.

"Would you do, dad? Light-kun?"

* * *

Light felt like he was going insane. Not from the crushing guilt, but from Ryuk's constant whining. Lately, all he seemed to do was bemoan how boring everything had become. Even though he claimed earlier he found his wallowing in guilt to be entertaining. He was just about ready to use the Death Note to kill himself, just to make sure he didn't hear anything more from the damn thing. How he wished there was a mute button for Shinigami! At this rate, he was going to go crazy again, and this time from the incessant complaints of something only he could see.

Truly, the definition of insanity.

In order to try and get Ryuk to stop, he decided to walk around Shibuya, finding things to get his mind off of the darker parts of his mind. From the arcades to the DVD Rental store, as he learned that Ryuk developed a fondness for soap operas, to the little things.

It had been by pure accident that he once again crossed paths with Ren Amamiya. And more importantly, with the people who caused his change of heart.

Light had been absent-minded when he found himself accidentally colliding with someone, bumping into their shoulder. "My apologies." they said. He was a year younger than himself, with blue hair and slight feminine features, giving him a rather attractive appearance. "I wasn't looking where I was going."

"It's fine." Light waved a hand in dismissal, then paused. Was it just his imagination, or did this person look oddly familiar? "Sorry, but... Have we met before?"

"Yo, Yusuke. What's the hold up?" Three more people showed up behind the aforementioned Yusuke. Two blondes, one male with short hair and the other female with longer hair done in pigtails. The other was the frizzy-haired student he met before. All three of them were wearing Shujin Academy uniforms also, making them students. When the blonde male noticed Light, his eyes widened in surprise. "Huh?"

Light expressed some surprise as well. He hadn't expected to run into Ren again. "I guess today's full of coincidences, huh?" Light said jokingly. "Sorry about bumping into your friend."

"It's fine." Yusuke spoke for Ren. "However, may I ask if you are alright? You look like you've been run ragged."

He smiled sadly. "Tell me about it..."

Ryuk's laughter rung in his ears. Discreetly, he shot an annoyed glare at the Shinigami, who was busy holding his sides while dangling in the air. _'What the hell is his problem?'_ he thought in annoyance. _'He was laughing like this too earlier on the train. Just what's making him laughing so hysterically?'_ It was definitely odd behavior. But then again, weirdness might be associated with being a Shinigami, from what little Ryuk told him. Either way, the laughter was so damned annoying.

"Again, sorry for bumping into your friend." Light apologized once more. He was about to leave, but Ren stopped him. "Is something the matter?"

"Sorry if this sounds a bit out of left field, but would you like a cup of coffee?"

Light stared at him. The others looked at Ren as if he were crazy. Ren gave him an impassive look. Ryuk just laughed harder.

* * *

Contrary to what people thought, Ren Amamiya wasn't insane. He just liked to wing it as he went. Plans always had a bad habit of falling apart, so it was better to just make things up as they went. When he met Light on the train, the guy looked miserable. And somehow, he looked even worse. It was spur of the moment, but Ren felt as if the guy needed a pick me up or something. Maybe something to help get him to relax. They were heading to Leblanc anyways to celebrate Madarame's change of heart and welcome Yusuke to the Phantom Thieves properly.

That, and he had yet to forget Sojiro's mention of being friends with the Yagami family. Maybe some outisde help would do him some good.

"Dude, are you sure about this?" Ryuji whispered as they rode on the train. Light was still surprised by his offer, but he had nonetheless accepted after a long debate. He was sitting with Yusuke, the latter speaking to him about any interests in art. "I mean, sure, the guy's clean now, but what about the Shinigami? Ain't he trouble?"

"He's got a point." Morgana said in agreement. "We are risking a lot."

 **"Ah, relax furball. I won't say a thing."** Ryuk's head popped out from the seat next to the bag. Morgana let out a frightened yelp and dove deep into the bag. More than a few people shot a strange look Ren's way, to which he could only embarrassingly wave back before shooting a glare at the Shinigami. In response, Ryuk smirked. **"Sorry, couldn't resist. Say, you wouldn't happen to have an apple on hand, would ya? I'm starving here!"**

"No, we don't." Ryuji glared at the Shinigami. "And would you get out of here already?! Bad enough we can see and hear you, but what if Ki-er, Light finds out who we are because of you?!"

Ryuk snickered. **"Even if he did find out, he wouldn't do a thing. Guy's practically lost his spine. It was hilarious for a while, but now, it's gotten pretty boring real quick. Watching him squirm is nowhere near as fun as him plotting who he's gonna kill next."**

"Not very reassuring." Ren said flatly.

 **"Look, you won't have to worry about a thing. Light's practically harmless! Hell, I'd give him maybe a week to stew a bit more before he asks me to write his name in the Death Note."** At the shocked look the two gave him, Ryuk's smile turned crooked. **"Come on, it's completely obvious Light's losing his mind to the guilt. Sure, his sister's doing a good job keeping him from falling apart and that woman at the therapy place trying to help him, but sooner or later, Light is gonna crack. The big question is when."**

That was disconcerning. In more ways than one. When they first started, they hesitated about changing Kamoshida's heart because they might risk killing him. Thankfully, it had never come to that, yet it seemed that possibility was creeping up. Or, perhaps, Ryuk was just playing with them. He wouldn't put it past the Shinigami. Still, there were some truth to those words. Ren sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Why was everything becoming so complicated?

The train ride ended a few minutes later, and the group entered Leblanc. Sojiro had been a little offended when he saw the large group, but that died when Ann had introduced herself and revealed they were his friends. All except for Light, of course. He had been invited, and Sojiro knew the poor guy needed it with one look. Of course, he would need to talk to his guardian later about Yusuke staying here. He was still going to have words with Morgana for making that decision without his consent. This place was his home too, meaning he had a say in it also. Still, Yusuke was a friend, so he was willing to let it slide. For now.

"Gah!" Ryuji's face scrunched into different expressions as he set the coffee cup back down on Ann's plate before he proceeded to down the entire soda sitting in front of him. "Urgh, that's so freaking bitter! How do people like this stuff?! Ack, it-it's gotta be cruel and unusual punishment!"

"It's an acquired taste." Sojiro said, seeming quite amused by Ryuji's reaction to the coffee. "Truth be told, I didn't like coffee when I was your age so much, either." He then looked at Ren, who had helped behind the counter and was in the middle of cleaning a few mugs. "These kids are your friends, yeah? Why don't you show then to your room? No need for them to stay down here." Ren smiled gratefully before he set a fourth mug down on the counter in front of Light.

"Thanks." Light said gratefully as he took the mug into his hands. The group of four then made their way upstairs, though Ann stopped momentarily to chat with Sojiro and grab the bags they left on the seats. Now, it was just the barista, the Shinigami and the serial killer. Light's lips threatened to turn into a smile. That sounded like a joke. "Um, Sakura-san, was it?"

"Please, call me Sojiro." he insisted. "Or hell, Boss will do. Everyone does. Light-kun, right? You're Sayu-chan's big brother." Light blinked in surprise. "Your sister was here a few days ago. A little shopping trip or something along those lines. Amamiya found her getting into some trouble and helped her out."

"Is-is that so..." Light lowered his head. His mind thought back to Sudou from the other day, how he was beating someone up. Sayu must've been in that sort of situation too, and yet when he replaced that student Sudou was harassing with her, he still imagined himself hesitating. Ren and Sayu were just strangers, yet he was willing to help her in that sort of situation. What did that say about him? "I should thank him when I get the chance."

Sojiro sighed. "If you ask me, the kid needs to learn to leave things alone. Helping someone was the reason he's even here in the first place." He looked up at Sojiro, confused. "It's not my place to say, but he got involved in something he shouldn't have back home when he tried to help someone, and it brought him here. But enough talking about Amamiya behind his back." Sojiro then shook his head before a warm smile crossed his face. "You know, I have to say. You're the spitting image of your father when he was your age."

"Huh?"

Sojiro took something out from his wallet, showing it to him. It was a photograph of the barista in his younger years. He actually looked a little like Ren, except his hair wasn't as messy and he wasn't wearing any glasses. Beside him was his father, having seen pictures of him when he was younger before. As Sojiro had said, Light looked very much like his father when he was young. His face was a little more rough, and his hair was darker, but that was definitely his father. The only difference was that he was still wearing glasses.

"You and Dad were friends?"

"We went to high school. Guy was the biggest nerd there, but you'd be in trouble if you picked a fight with him. Guy packed a hell of a right hook." the old man chuckled. "I hear he's doing pretty well for himself. Even saw him on the news." Sojiro then let out a tired sigh as he leaned against the counter, shaking his head. "Seeing his kids, I'm starting to feel my age. Damn, I really am getting old. Old age aside, Light-kun, what are your plans?"

"Huh?"

"Well, from what Sayu-chan has told me, your at the top of your classes." Sojiro said. "What university do you plan on going to?"

Light frowned. University. At the time, it had been the last thing on his mind. Just another stepping stone to use to achieve his goals. It had no purpose whatsoever. Now, he hadn't even given it so much as a lick of thought. Not with how messy his head was. "I planned on going to To-oh, but things...haven't been going well." he admitted. "My life's sort of a mess. Originally, I planned on becoming a police officer and become a detective, but..."

"I see." Sojiro nodded in understanding. He could tell the kid looked troubled. Hell, the poor guy looked read to fall apart any second. "Well, if you ever need to talk, or if you need a good cup of coffee, my doors are always open." Light looked at him, stunned. Sojiro did not know him. He did not know Sojiro. And yet the man was offering him a helping hand. A hand he did not deserve, not after all he did. Seeing his look, the barista smiled warmly. "While I may not be your uncle or anything of the sort, you are the son of a friend. I'd say that's more than enough. Anyways, you better drink that before it gets cold." he cracked a small grin. "Amamiya might not be good, but he does make a decent cup of joe."

Light stared at Sojiro a little longer, then brought the cup to his lips. It was bitter, but it tasted wonderful.

* * *

The sun had dipped into the horizon, tinting the sky orange. Light had left not too long ago, but made sure to thank Ren for helping Sayu when she was here before. They offered him a place with them, since they were having a hot pot, but he politely declined. He didn't want to intrude. Ryuk seemed disappointed, if only because he might have the opportunity to try and make him look crazy in front of others. He had been snapping at Ryuk out in public much more than he should.

Sayu had texted him shortly after he left, asking him to run by the grocery store to pick up something for dinner. Soichiro would be home again, but he would be back into work the next day. He even mentioned how he would be even busier, noting that they made some progress in the case. He wouldn't say what, but Light bet it was because no one had been dying of heart attacks recently. The fact alone seemed to be the reason why his father was coming home more frequently. _'I bet L is trying to figure out why I haven't killed anyone recently.'_ Light thought. It was a shame that he couldn't meet the man himself. Or maybe they would one day, with himself behind a set of bars and L on the other side. _'Or maybe he knows why. The Phantom Thieves... If it weren't for them, I would have kept killing. I owe them for what they did.'_

But on the other hand, he also wanted to curse them for not taking the Death Note as well. Its existence alone was a reminder of who he used to be. Every day, he thought about throwing it aside, only to fear what may happen if someone else were to find it. And every time he attempted to destroy it, his hand would always still. Sighing once more, Light continued on with his business. He returned to Shibuya and entered the grocery store, searching the isles before he stopped abruptly when he noticed someone close by. Someone quite familiar to him.

"Makoto?"

The red-eyed girl turned around upon being addressed. When she saw Light, her face brightened. "Light? Is that you?" she asked in surprise before a smile formed. "It's been a long time. Since middle school, I think?"

"Yeah, it has been a while." Light nodded in agreement, happy upon seeing an old friend. One of the few small joys he had left in this world.

The Yagami and Niijima families had been friends for a long time. More than that, however, Soichiro Yagami and Masahiro Niijima were partners before the latter reached the rank of Police Commissioner. Light and Makoto had been friends since childhood, but shortly after Masahiro's passing and the loss of Light's own mother, the two families had drifted apart. It was also worth noting that Sae Niijima, Makoto's older sister, had developed something of a strained relationship with Soichiro when the former became a Prosecutor. Light wasn't aware of the details, but from what he knew from his father in what he discussed, the two constantly butted heads over a case they were assigned. Before long, Makoto and Light had nearly fallen out of contact.

This had been their first face-to-face meeting in a very long time. It had been almost an entire year since they last had contact.

"Are you doing okay, Light?" Makoto asked after they had left the store together. Once they reached the train station, they would part ways. "You look tired. You aren't pushing yourself, are you?"

Light faked a smile and waved off her concern. "I'm fine. I'm just exhausted from studying is all. I've been working myself too hard, and Sayu wants me to take a break."

"How is Sayu doing these days?"

 _'Horrible. She just found out her brother is a serial killer and she hasn't told anyone, not even her friends or our father.'_ "She's fine. She still asks for my help from time to time."

"I see. That's good."

"How about you, Makoto?" Light asked. If he looked tired to her, she looked downtrodden to him. Emotionally exhausted. "You look rough yourself. Has everything been okay at school for you?"

Makoto smiled sweetly at him. "Yeah, just working on an assignment. To tell you the truth, though... Kobayakawa-san, Shujin's Principal, asked me to investigate the Phantom Thieves." Light stared at her with wide-eyes. Ryuk leaned in, eyes dancing. "Ever since that incident with Kamoshida, the media has been investigating the school for a while. Then Madarame publicly confessed, and now he's been grasping at straws." Makoto's face scrunched into frustration, hands balling into fists. "He doesn't care about the welfare of the students. He just wants to save face is all." She then turned her light. "Actually, speaking about the Phantom Thieves...what do you think about them? I know your father said he would support them if he could, but what about you, Light?"

Light fell silent at that. Ryuk chuckled at her question. **"Wow, way to rub salt into an open wound there, lady."** the Shinigami said between cackles. **"Gotta say, this week has been nothing but hell for you, huh Light? So, what do you think about the Phantom Thieves? They were the ones who ridiculed your sense of justice, right?"**

 _'Justice...'_

A word that Light had been thinking about for a long time. At first, justice to him was bringing criminals in and making them pay for their crimes. The ideals his father and Masahiro Niijima followed. But then he realized just how twisted the world was. How the justice he once believed in was being abused by criminals and corrupt men. And then his own ideal of justice became warped the day he found the Death Note. Light no longer knew what jusice was to him anymore. Was it an ideal he pursued so long ago? Or was it a dream he just thought up?

"Light?"

Makoto wouldn't receive an answer. All she received was a trouble look from Light. They left the grocery store in silence, but before they parted at the train station, Light gave her an answer. A hesitant one, but an answer all the same. "I believe in the justice the Phantom Thieves believe in." he said, much to her surprise before smiling sadly. "After all, they're more righteous than Kira."

* * *

Dinner was a sordid affair overall. Soichiro had asked him if he was feeling better, and Light simply lied through his teeth. He wasn't doing any better, but he was keeping himself from falling to pieces. Only Sayu seemed to notice the lie, but she said nothing. Soichiro spoke nothing about work, only that he would be returning to work, and would likely be absent for a long period of time. "Do you know how long you'll be gone?" Sayu asked with a frown.

"No, I don't." Soichiro said honestly with some sadness in his voice. "I'm sorry, Sayu. I know I haven't been home as much as I should be, but..."

"Dad, it's fine." Light insisted. "Your work is important."

"So is your health. Did you take my advice about school and your studies?"

The teachers had been shocked to hear that he would be out on account of sickness and other personal matters, but they all accepted the lame excuses all the same. Light had a feeling that his so-called "friends" and other students would be laughing and speaking ill of him behind their backs. He didn't blame them. Sayu, on the other hand, seemed to enjoy the prospect of her big brother spending more time with her, even if it would leave him with nothing to do around the house. He thought he might be able to keep himself busy with housework or something, and to keep Ryuk quiet, a nice basket full of apples.

"Yeah, I did. By the way, I ran into Makoto today."

Sayu's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "You did?!" she asked excitedly, leaning across the table. "How is she?! Is she doing awesome?!"

"She told me she's doing fine. She's also the Student Council President at Shujin."

Soichiro's eyes lit up. "Ah! I had almost forgotten that she was a student there. Must be rough, given how the media's been hounding the school. I hope she's doing fine."

Light didn't tell them what Kobayakawa had asked Makoto to do. However, even he was confused. Even if it was to save face, why would Kobayakawa asked a student to search for the Phantom Thieves? It didn't make sense. Admittedly, it did make sense to suspect that Shujin students would be the Phantom Thieves, or at the very least involved with them, since Kamoshida was their first target. It would also be natural to suspect Kamoshida's victims, but that would be quite the long list. Especially since the man revealed what he had been doing for the past year. Why would Kobayakwa ask a student to investigate the matter, when it would be easier to entrust the matter to the police or maybe the teachers themselves?

After dinner ended, Light returned to his room. Thinking about the Phantom Thieves, the people responsible for his change of heart, Light found himself browsing his phone and saw the Phantom Aficionado Website. The site was fascinating, in that whoever published the domain and maintained it regulated the comments. There was a Poll up and comments were flooding practically every minute. To his surprise, there were even people willing to post someone's info with their real name on the site as well. It was a bit disconcerning, but there were a few comments that piqued his interest.

 _ **hey, hasn't Kira been quiet for a while?**_

 _ **do you think the pthieves took their heart?!**_

 _ **Then why hasn't someone confessed?**_

 _ **The p-thieves are a joke! Kira's the true savior!**_

 _ **i believe in the phantom thieves!**_

 _ **I still think Akechi has the right idea**_

 _ **what if kira and the thieves are working together?! O.O**_

 _ **I think they're both wrong. There's no such thing as Justice.**_

 **"Looks like people are split."** Ryuk said, looking at the screen with some interest. **"On the one side, you have supporters of the Phantom Thieves, and on the other side, there are people who believe in Kira. And then we've got L and Akechi. This'll probably be a three-way brawl between them, now that your out of the picture, eh Light?"**

"I suppose." Light shrugged. He doubted L had given up on finding him. Even though he no longer had the stomach to murder someone, L was still going to go on the warpath to find him and make him pay. That much, he knew for certainty. And he sincerely hoped L would find him and bring him to justice. However, he knew that L most likely knew that the killing had stopped, and the most likely culprit behind this was the Phantom Thieves. In other words, both Akechi and L would be after them. To which case, he wished the thieves the best of luck.

He exited out of the site, then blinked in confusion. "What in the...?"

There, on his screen, was an icon for an application he had never seen before: a red eye with a star inside the pupil.

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**

* * *

 _"_ _If you can't win the game, if you can't solve the puzzle, then you're nothing but a loser." -Near, "Death Note"_

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE** : This might be the last chapter I publish in 2018, but who knows? Maybe I'll be able to post something on New Year's Eve!

Anyway, this chapter had a few reveals and whatnot, as well as Light's character post-change of heart being explored. The next chapter will conclude this arc, and after that, we will be entering the Kaneshiro Arc. And for any who may be asking, rest assured, the next chapter will have the reactions to the police learning that the recent Kira murders have all but stopped.

Light being friends with Makoto does make some sense, if your wondering why I added that in. Both of their fathers were police officers, plus Light would make an interesting foil to her as well.

Do you recall me recommending a story to you all last chapter? A few of you even pointed out that the title of said story was "Beneath the Mask." If you have read it, then you will realize why fanfiction is such a beautiful thing. It also explains what will come up next chapter.

And rest assured, this will be the last chapter in which Light acts all angsty. To be honest, even I'm getting a little sick of it.

Daemon of Wrath did not help me with this chapter, but he is responsible for helping me kickstart it, so be sure to thank him as well everyone!

* * *

 **REVIEWS**

treyalexander63917: Ryuji has always been depicted as a hothead. He's not particularly stupid, but he's not smart either. He wears his heart on his sleeve. And this was his reaction to Akechi's statement in the game proper, though in my opinion, I think it was a little more justified, since the Phantom Thieves will be constantly compared to Kira, even if they are better than he is.

Boyzilla: Welcome to the world of Persona, my friend. As for learning about Death Note, its quite a dark but intriguing story. There are a few mediums you can learn more about it, from the anime series to the manga to even the live action series and the TV series. Speaking of which, Light's mother being dead in this story is taken from the TV series.

Gamelover41592: I hope you enjoy what I have planned for Light. It'll be quite interesting to see how people react to it in proper.

superpierce: Now that you mention it, they do look a lot alike. In more than just a foil too.

extremeninja09: Thank you for the high praise! And to be perfectly honest, one of the reasons I was hesitant to write this story when Starlight's Poet handed it off to me was because I was nervous how to incorporate the two worlds. P5 focuses on teens changing a corrupt society by targeting as Ryuji puts it "shitty adults" and Death Note focuses on a Well-Intention Extremist killing criminals to change the world. To be honest, I still don't think I'm doing both stories justice. As for your words about Light, I won't confirm or deny, but what I will say is that Light has one more change of heart waiting for him.

ShinKyu: That would be the one. And the battle of morals will continue.


	6. Rebel, ye King of the Cavern

_"_ _Having finally made his dream reality, he was overwhelmed both by the magnitude of his achievement and by the joy and happiness that it brought him." -Light Yagami, "Death Note"_

* * *

 **WARNING LETTER**

* * *

Light's mind couldn't process what was happening. Everything that pertained to logic just refused to accept what was happening in front of him. Ryuk wasn't sure if he should just stay as scared as he was when they first got to this place or look downright giddy at the sight occurring in front of him. In contrast, Light was terrified out of his mind. A stray blast headed his way, forcing him to stand up and dart to the nearest place to cover. The blast struck the ground he stood on and he was sent flying. When he landed back on the ground, he scrambled up to his feet.

 **"God damn kids!"** the monster roared, red-skinned and wearing tribal painting over its body while its many arms wielded swords made of flame. **"Every time some snot-nosed shit speaks up, things go right down the shit-hole! You should all just shut the fuck up!"**

The white-masked man, in response to the monster's words, gave him a dull look and shot back with his gun, the bullet grazing the monster's cheek. Beside him, the winged humanoid creature with the flaming grin swung its leg, bladed heel locking with a fiery sword. "My god, do you idiots do anything else besides rant?"

 _'What-what the...'_ Light thought, trembling in place. _'What the hell is going on here?!'_

* * *

CHAPTER 06: Rebel, ye King of the Cavern

* * *

A few hours before Light Yagami found himself in the Metaverse, he had been spending the majority of his day at home. It was Sunday, so Sayu had no school. The two siblings spent the whole day together. At first, Light wasn't entirely sure what to do, instead leaving the activities up to her. So far, all they did was watch a few movies, mostly Disney ones that Sayu loved as a child. Ryuk was busy munching on the many apples he bought in his room, though he had come down midway through one movie.

Naturally, he was chatty. **"How in the unholy hell does a human let their hair grow that long?"** he questioned, head cocked unnaturally in a way that would surely break a human's neck if they attempted such a thing. **"I mean, really. Look at that! I know you humans have some weird past times, but that's just crazy."**

Light rolled his eyes and took a bite out of the potato chip. Once the Disney marathon was over, Sayu let him choose what to watch next.

At first, Light wasn't sure what to choose, but he eventually chose to watch the movies that he had inherited from his father around the time he was in Middle School. One of his personal favorites had been the Count of Monte Cristo, an old film that more or less told a revenge story. Ryuk instantly liked the film, calling Edmond Dantes an "interesting and funny human" while Sayu cried for the poor man. Having experienced such hardship, his love being taken away from him, sentenced for something he wasn't even guilty of, and then sent on to a downward spiral of revenge and hate. This was partly the reason why it was one of Light's favorites. Many considered Edmond Dantes' story to be one of the "greatest revenge stories ever told."

Once the movie was over, Sayu realized they were out of snacks. Light then volunteered to go out and buy some more. It would be little more than a quick trip to the store, though as he learned, the shop was undergoing renovations, forcing him to shop elsewhere. This, naturally, led him to Shibuya once again, all the while fiddling with his phone to keep up with the news.

To his displeasure, that strange app was once again prominent on his phone. "What the hell even is this?" he questioned as he deleted it for the fourth time. "If this was a virus, I could understand, but this is stubborn beyond belief."

 **"It sure isn't a normal app, that's for sure."** Ryuk commented. **"Hey, who knows? Maybe a nice friendly reminder of karma!"** Light looked at Ryuk. Was it just his imagination, or did it sound like he knew something?

Either way, this was unnatural. Why was this app continuously appearing on his phone every time he turned on the screen?

* * *

Ren was willing to spend the whole day with a friend until Mishima gave him a request. Having beaten Kira, their greatest target of all so far, he still felt an indescribable itch in his body that he wanted to be rid of, and his Personas all agreed with him.

It was a new request for the Phantom Thieves. Mishima was even kind enough to include the message.

 _ **Anonymous - To the Phantom Thieves of Hearts.**_

 _ **I understand that you may be busy, but please. You have to help me!**_

 _ **I'm a defense attorney at a small firm in Osaka. My client was accused of murder, but all of the facts we've gathered show that he is innocent. It sounds hard to believe, but please. It is the truth.**_

 _ **The prosecutor in charge of the case, Kamiyama Takanashi, has made it clear he wants to put my client behind bars. I've heard quite a few unsavory rumors about him. Some folks at the firm here even say that he fabricates evidence, just to put people away to bolster his reputation. And earlier this week, he wanted to push my client for the death penalty.**_

 _ **At best, all my client is guilty of is being at the wrong place at the wrong time. Please, you have to help me! If not me, then this man!**_

He had to admit, the emotions behind this request were heartfelt. He felt no deceit from it. This message was the real deal. And it made him feel sick to his stomach. His mind flashed back to the night that ruined his future: that man pushing the woman to go along with his accusation that Ren knocked the man down unprovoked. His hand trembled in anger, but it soon quelled as he calmed himself. He couldn't let personal feelings get in the way.

Since there was a request, he figured that it was time for the Phantom Thieves to change another heart, even if this one was lesser known. He called everyone up and they met at the usual place. The walkway wasn't as filled as it normally was, given them the cover they needed to enter the Metaverse. Morgana quickly went over the case with them, and to make sure they had a target, they already checked to see if they were distorted enough to earn a hit in the Metaverse.

Sure enough, they had a new target.

"Talk about despicable." Ann muttered angrily. "It's one thing to falsely accuse someone just to get ahead in life, but to push for the death penalty?!"

"This man is truly beyond forgiveness." Yusuke agreed whole-heartedly, a fierce look in his eyes. "We are going to change this man's heart, correct?"

"Damn straight." Ren affirmed with a strong nod.

Morgana hopped out of the bag, lounging on the railing. "We already swung by the Airsoft shop and that doctor lady, so we've got plenty of weapons and items to use. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to craft stuff, so you'll have to make do with your Personas."

"Sounds fine by me." Ryuji nodded. Before the group could enter Mementos, though, he quickly asked, "Hey, this just hit me the other day, but...what are we gonna do about Light?" The others stared at him weirdly. "Well, what that Ryuk guy said got me thinking. Light hasn't turned himself over to the police, and the guilt's eating him up, but he's staying because of his sister, right? Do you..." He swallowed the lump in his throat, looking uncertain. "Do you think we really made the right call?"

There was no right or wrong answer to that. They changed Light's heart, per Sayu's request, but Light wanted to be punished. They thought back to the confessions of Kamoshida and Madarame. Both men were remorseful and wanted to atone, but Light had no means to do so. He was stuck in a cage, one where he wanted someone - anyone to punish him. While they thought they were doing the right thing, Ryuji's question had made them think. Was it really for the best for Light to stay like this, even when it was clear the guilt was eating him up?

They were silent for a good long while before Ren answered. "I don't think there's a right or wrong answer." he said. "At the end of the day, what happens now is Light and Sayu's decision."

"Right..." Ann looked down sadly. "Still, it isn't fair. All she wanted was the kind big brother she looked up to back."

* * *

Five days. That was how long this had been going on. Five days.

Once was a coincidence. Twice was suspicious. But three times meant something was going on. But in L's line of work, there was no such thing as coincidences. Just someone leaving themselves open. And this spoke volumes to him.

For five days, there was not a single report about criminals dying of heart attacks.

"I don't believe it." Aizawa said, sounding completely flabbergasted. "Not a single death in almost a week. The hell is this?"

Matsuda looked the happiest about the news. Of everyone in the police department, he was the most optimistic, and the one who spoke of admiration of the Phantom Thieves' recent accomplishments the most. The sentiment was shared a little by others, including Soichiro Yagami himself, but others were not exactly happy about their presence, feeling as if their presence was unneeded.

"Maybe Kira's gotten himself cold feet." Mogi jokingly suggested, propping his feet on the desk. "After all, I doubt even Kira knew about what Kamoshida and Madarame did."

Hideki Ide, a rather gaunt man in his mid thirties, waved his hand. "Or maybe Kira needs a break. He's been killing people nonstop since he started." he said with a scoff before he shot a small glare at Watari. Or rather more accurately, the briefcase containing his laptop that L used to communicate with the police force. "What does the so called _Sherlock Holmes_ think?"

L sighed, scratching his head. He understood why many in the department were fed up with the secrecy, especially when news came about when they learned that they were being investigated. Soichiro Yagami understood that it was necessary, considering the possibility that Kira was most likely getting information from an inside source somehow, but even so, it was a serious blow to their trust. Not that said trust was strong anyways. He was fully aware that the police only valued and put up with his antics because of his deductive skills. Once he was done, he was no longer needed, and they had no reason to keep up such pleasantries.

Not that he really cared. He didn't like many of the police's overconcentrated egos too. He knew he had an ego, but at the very least he knew when it keep it professional, unlike those idiots.

"There are two possibilities I can think of." L said, speaking into the microphone. "The first, and less likely, is that Kira had grossly underestimated the Phantom Thieves and their surprising show of support, what with the recent news reports and polls and whatnot, and has since taken a step back to reevaluate them as a threat. Given what we have on his profile as of right now, he considers them an obstacle. And as we saw with Lind L. Tailor, Kira is willing to eliminate anyone who is against him. The Phantom Thieves are surely against Kira as well. The second, and the one I believe in currently, is that Kira may have undergone a change of heart."

His words brought forth silence to the department. Hirokazu Ukita, one of the most passionate men in the whole department, found his jaw meeting the floor. "Sorry, but hold on a second." he said, holding up his hands. "I'd be happy if that really was the case, but what's your basis? Moreover, if the Phantom Thieves have changed his heart, why hasn't he turned himself over to the police and confessed his crimes?"

An excellent question. He applauded Ukita from his little spot on the hotel room before he answered promptly. "Again, it is merely a possibility. It is based on the presence and activity of the Phantom Thieves as of late. Their actions invoking a change of heart through unknown means led to the confessions of two individuals charged with deplorable acts. However, I recently came across an interesting media outlet related to them. Have you heard of the Phan-Site?"

"You mean the Phantom Aficionado Website?" It was Matsuda who spoke next, his voice expressing excitement. "Me and Aizawa-san have been monitoring it when L-san asked us to divert resources to the Phantom Thieves of Hearts. Take a look at this." He took control of the monitor for a moment and rapidly typed into the computer. Then the projector showed the sight in question. "This is the Phantom Aficionado Website, or the Phan-Site for short. We haven't figured out who created the site, but it is being maintained and constantly updated. They even have a Poll asking if people believe in the Phantom Thieves. We've also been monitoring the chat section, and it turns out people have been revealing actual information, from abuse to drug dealing to even minor things like embezzling."

Aizawa saw the comments flying by fast. Reading a few of them, he whistled. "Man, people either support the Phantom Thieves, call them worse than Kira, or just flat out hate them." he remarked. "But I don't see how this has anything to do with you thinking Kira underwent a change of heart?"

"Matsuda-san, please bring up chat log, page 1,387." L requested. Matsuda nodded and messed with his computer. A second later, the projector changed and showed a screenshot.

Ukita read what was shown on the chat log, and his eyes skewed. "I think my brother is Kira?" he asked, showing skepticism before he turned to the computer. "I don't see how this relates to Kira having a change of heart. For all we know, this could be some big hoax."

"I asked some outside assistance in the matter and traced the message. Though it was done anonymously, we were able to locate the IP address." L replied. "Before I reveal this information, however, I must ask Yagami-san to remain as calm as possible."

Soichiro frowned at that. Calm? Why would L ask him to be calm? What information could he have that might upset him? Even so, he nodded and braced himself. Whatever L had managed to dig up, it must have something to do with his family or a close associate. Now that he thought about it, Light had been acting strange...

 _'No, he couldn't be saying...!'_

What L said next made his heart sink and stared at the monitor with wide eyes, stricken with grief and shock. The rest of the department was thrown into stunned silence.

"The request came from one Sayu Yagami. The younger sister of Light Yagami, and your daughter, Yagami-san."

Silence reigned upon the department. The room was devoid of all sound. Everyone just stared at either L in absolute shock and disbelief or looked to Soichiro, who slumped in his seat with his head hanging low. Matsuda spluttered, wondering if he heard that correctly before he looked around them room. Everybody was shaken by what they just heard. Like they actually believed it. The implication of what L was saying. But that was impossible! It couldn't be true!

"H-hold on, L-san!" Matsuda protested. "You can't seriously be suggesting that Kira might be-"

"There is a 32% that Light Yagami may, in fact, be Kira." L stated the words with finality.

"B-but that's completely ridiculous!" Matsuda shook his head. "I-I may not be close to the Yagami family, but I know Light-kun! He's an honest and hard working person! He couldn't hurt a fly! He's the model big brother for fuck's sake! How can you even suggest that-!"

"...Matsuda."

The young detective stopped and turned around. It was Soichiro who said that, his face looking as if he had just been punched in the gut. Poor man looked far older than he should. He looked up at the laptop, glaring at it with all of his might before it failed and turned crestfallen.

"L... Are you certain this information is accurate?"

L felt a little bad for Soichiro. He hadn't meant to deliver such heavy news, but for the sake of the investigation, he felt the need to say it. There was no need to beat around the bush. Still, his reaction was curious. Did Soichiro perhaps have some idea that Light may have been Kira? "Yes. I'm afraid so, Yagami-san. The IP address from which that message requesting the Phantom Thieves was sent from Sayu Yagami. There is a eight percent possibility that she may have asked them to steal Light Yagami's heart."

Soichiro remained expressionless as the words circulated within his mind. Then he hanged his head low, releasing a tired sigh. "For the past few days, I noticed Light acting rather...odd." he confessed, much to the shock of his subordinates. Matsuda in particular looked like he had been punched in the gut. "He hasn't been doing well in class, and he barely gets any sleep these days. I even got a phone call, telling me he had fainted in the middle of class. Whenever I came home to have dinner with my kids, I always noticed how...exhausted, or terrified Light looked. A look I had seen before in men who knew they were guilty."

"Sir...what you're saying is...?!"

"Wait, hold on a minute!" Ide snarled. He honestly thought L was joking. And it was not funny in the least. The bastard was more or less targeting Soichiro's family! "How the hell do we even know for sure that the Chief's son really is Kira?! What basis are you going off of?!

"As I said, this conjecture is based on nothing more than what I have just showed you, the odds that it was Sayu Yagami who made this request is 8%, and the odds of Kira being Light Yagami is 32%. Probabilities, but the evidence is there."

Mogi scowled. "You son of a..."

"Enough. All of you." Soichiro barked. The others stared at him, incredulous. How could he be so accepting of this?! This was the man's own son they were talking about here! Yet Matsuda knew that Soichiro didn't like it either. He could tell by the look in his eyes, but he was just so tired. Like he knew something that no one else did. "Assuming those theories are true...what would you do?"

"I would place Light Yagami under further investigation."

Soichiro closed his eyes, taking the moment to think this over. He knew this was wrong. Suspecting his own son of being a criminal and a murderer, but he knew that Light had changed these past few days. So tired and exhausted, having the look of the men he put to jail. Men who wanted to atone for their crimes. But how could that be? How could his son be Kira? How was that idea even so much as plausible? The more he thought about it, the more confused he became. 'What would you do if you were in my position, Sachiko...?' he asked his wife, yet he knew he would find no answer.

After another minute of silence, Soichiro opened his eyes. "Fine." Everyone stared at him, jaws unhinged. "Do what you must. However, trust is a two way street. I can't trust someone who hides behind a monitor with my son."

L smiled. "The thought already crossed my mind, Yagami-san."

* * *

 **"Hey, you remembered to get the apples, right?"**

Light groaned. "Yes, I remembered. And I expect you to follow our deal, Ryuk. No talking, and you stay in my room at all times, understand."

Ryuk pouted. Or it looked like he was pouting. Light honestly couldn't tell. **"Aw, come on! She already knows about me, even if she hasn't touched the Death Note, so what's the problem?"**

"The problem is that I don't want you to hurt my sister anymore than she has been already...I've already done enough."

 **"Whatever you say, Light..."** Ryuk shrugged. They stepped into the walkway leading to the station platform, though Light paused briefly when he saw a few familiar faces. Following his line of sight, the Shinigami laughed. **"Well, would you look at that? Say, how about we hang out with them again? They make for some interesting company!"**

Unknown to Light the other day, Ryuk had conversed with the Phantom Thieves yesterday. It had been quite the talk, if only because they were clearly uncomfortable with him and his continued presence. They were also quite angry with him continuing to torment Light when he should have already left and reclaimed the Death Note. He rebuked it by saying he was allowed to take it back anytime he wanted. He just wanted to stay behind a while longer and see how things played out.

After all, even if Light's fun had ended, the fun with the Phantom Thieves hadn't.

Light shot Ryuk a confused look. It was unusual for the Shinigami to be interested in other people. Not to mention the fact that it laughed like a madman on more than a few occasions whenever Light was hanging around them. Was there something special to them or something?

Still, he did want to thank Ren for what he did for Sayu. He walked over to the group, about to speak with them when he suddenly felt the world around him become warped. Black and red ripples overlapped with reality before it subsided. Light winced and found himself swaying a little, holding a hand over his head and steadying himself on a nearby railing. "What the...?" he muttered, the light-headed moment passing. As he recovered he looked up and suddenly found the walkway devoid of life. There was not a single person here. In spite of the fact that mere moments ago there were several people walking about. Furthermore, the world had a strange red tinge, and black flakes were floating in the air. "What in the world is going on?"

 **"H-hey, Light. Where are we?"** Ryuk asked, his earlier taunting laughter and cheers turning into worry. **"This place feels really off."**

"I don't know." Light said. He didn't understand it either. He looked around, trying to find someone. He saw something red fall behind the corner, fleeing into the station. Quickly, he followed after what caught his line of sight. As he stepped into the corner, he peered over and he felt his eyes widen. Entering the station were four people, all dressed in outlandish clothing. And there was something else with them also. Some kind of oversized plushe or something, walking on two stubby white legs. "What in the hell...?"

Ryuk peered over and saw the figures. Then he gaped. **"Ah, crap. We're in Mementos, aren't we?"** he asked quietly. **"This is bad. Very, very bad."**

"Mementos?" Light questioned the Shinigami, rounding on him. "What is that? Nevermind that, what are you going on about?"

 **"Look, let's just say that this place is almost an exact copy of the human world, and that inside the subway stations is a little place that does not like Shinigami. Period! So how about we skedaddle and get the hell out of here?!"**

 _'Huh. So there_ is _something that scares Ryuk._ ' Light thought in amazement before he turned his attention to the oddly-dressed individuals entering the subway station. He swore, those people looked familiar. Who were they?

 **"Hey! Aren't you listening?!"**

Light paid him no mind as his curiosity got the best of him. As the group moved onward, he followed them further inside. Ryuk gaped at Light. He knew the guy wanted to find the Phantom Thieves, but this was just crazy! If Light thought he was going in there, he was out of his mind! He was not going to risk his neck for a human that he thought was interesting! If he did, well, then that thing was going to have a field day with him. After all, the maximum punishment level the Shinigami King delivered was nothing compared to what it could do. Hell, it practically invented the term "a fate worse than death!"

 **"If you want to go after them, go ahead!"** Ryuk shouted before he flapped his wings and darted off. **"But I sure as hell ain't staying here so that _thing_ can find me!"**

Light scoffed and paid the Shinigami no mind. In fact, he welcomed the silence.

Besides, whoever these people were, they obviously seemed unaffected by what was going on. That must mean they had been in this place before. And judging by Ryuk's words, there was something inside the subway station. 'Maybe these people know if there's a way out.' he thought.

Unknown to him, however, there was an azure butterfly sitting on his shoulder. As if sensing the presence within the young man, the butterfly then flew away.

* * *

Inside a blue prison, an old man bearing an unnaturally long nose chuckled. "So, the young man who thought himself a god has become entangled with the trickster, has he? Hmhmhm, this should be interesting to see..."

* * *

"What even is this place?" Light questioned as he trudged deeper into the depth of Mementos. He had thought the existence of the Death Note was bizarre enough, but that was just a simple notebook. This was just one giant unnatural maze of train tracks. Far larger than a subway should allow. He had lost track of the oddly dressed group when they disembarked on a black bus of some kind, but thankfully the area didn't seem too hard to navigate. However, he had to avoid giant monstrosities covered in masks. He had no idea what they were, only that they were terrifying.

And he did not wish to be squashed.

"This place definitely isn't normal." Light muttered as he pulled himself up onto a station platform. The escalator seemed to lead down, meaning the place went even deeper. He glanced behind him, noting the pulsating red veins that ran along the walls. "But what the hell is it? Can't be the Shinigami's world, otherwise Ryuk wouldn't have reacted like that."

And what the Shinigami said and how he reacted plagued his mind. This place was definitely dangerous if Ryuk of all beings voluntarily shined away from it. If those people he saw earlier really did know their way around here, which was becoming more likely with each second, then they should be able to lead him out of here. Or so he hoped. He was just grasping at straws at this point. He wondered if Sayu knew he was missing. Actually, now that he thought about it, how long has he been missing? It felt like a few minutes had gone by, but maybe it had been longer? It was so hard to tell.

This place felt...distorted. Twisted. Wrong.

"I need to get out of here."

* * *

"We found him!"

Their target was not very far from the starting point. In fact, they found Kamiyama Takanashi on the second level, leading to the next block of Mementos. The Shadow of the prosecutor was a mirror image of the man himself in the real world, dressed in a black business suit with a white tie and dress shirt. He certainly had the look of an intellectual, with a sharp beard, slicked back hair with skunk-stripes on the sides, and glasses sitting on the bridge of his nose.

"So that's Takanashi." Fox hummed. "He certainly looks the part of a prosecutor."

"And he's got a nasty look in his eye, too." Skull grunted. "C'mon, let's get this over with."

The group approached the distorted Shadow, their hands close to their weapons. When they were close enough, Takanashi's Shadow noticed them and leered. **"Who are you? More fools trying to get in my way?"**

"You Takanashi?" Joker asked.

 **"What's it to you brats?"**

"We know what you've been up to. Implanting false evidence, as well as pushing for the death penalty of an individual who was in the wrong place at the wrong time." Panther recounted what was told in the request, glaring daggers at the prosecutor. "How could you? Don't you have any shame?!"

 **"Shame?"** Takanashi's Shadow scoffed as he waved a hand. **"In this world, you get ahead through luck or talent. Those who attempt to make way in life through hard work are destined to fall behind the rest of the competition. Besides, who cares if some nobody dies? The world doesn't seem to care if someone disappears. Take a look at what Kira's been doing, for example. Nobody's batting an eyelid to a criminal dying of a heart attack these days."**

Fox narrowed his eyes beneath his mask. "And yet the man you're prosecuting is innocent." he countered. "He's far from a criminal!"

 **"Do you think anyone cares if he's innocent or not? At this point, if somebody thinks your a criminal, you're better off dead."** Takanashi's Shadow rebuked, adjusting his glasses. **"Way I see it, that shitstain should be grateful that he's a stepping stone on my way to being the new Director of the SIU!"**

Morgana hissed, drawing his scimitar. "Talk about scum... I think we've heard enough, don't you think so Joker?"

Joker nodded. "Time for you to repent." he smirked and placed a hand over his mask. "Kamiyama Takanashi, we will Take Your Heart!"

 **"I'd like to see you try you damn brats!"**

The Shadow's eyes glowed, and then its body erupted into black mass that swirled and clashed and clumped until it formed into a solid shape. Before them stood a giant red-skinned behemoth with six arms, each wielding a sword made of fire. It's head composed of three faces, all bearing rage and anger with tribal markings etched into its body.

 _ **"If you insist on getting in my way, I'll cut right through you!"**_

* * *

This was how Light found himself in this situation presently. He had just encountered the Phantom Thieves, identifying them right after the one in the white mask, presumably the leader, uttered those words before he saw that man turn into a monster. Now, he was scrambling for dear life and trying not to get killed in the crossfire. The Phantom Thieves had noticed him when he cried out in shock the first time the Shadow attacked, barely missing him. They were shocked to see their past target in Mementos, but rather than try to question him or try to get him to turn back, they were more focused on the Shadow. Panther and Skull went to protect Light while Morgana, Fox and Joker went to face the Shadow called "Asuras."

"What-what in the hell is that thing?!" Light shouted in shock. "It-it was a person, and-and now its-"

"Yeeeaaah, kind of a long story!" Skull said. "Anyways, just keep your head down and make sure to stay behind cover! This looks like it'll get ugly real quick!"

"Skull, on your left!"

At Panther's shout, he evaded a stray blast, leaping away and retaliating with Captain Kidd. The Persona swerved in the air and shot out a few volleys of thunder, but Asuras destroyed them with its fiery blades. Fox interceded next with Goemon, striking back with its bladed pipe and locking swords with the Shadow, both beings struggling to push the other back. "His physical strength is impressive." Fox mused. "But let us see if he's just as strong in the defensive department! Joker!"

"Ravage him, Ares!" The God of War materialized above Joker as it moved to cleave the Shadow. Two arms blocked the incoming strike. One blade parried Ares' sword, and the other pierced straight into its shoulder. Joker winced, clutching his shoulder before his eyes burned. Ares gripped the flaming sword and shattered it before parrying another incoming strike, wisely choosing to retreat. Realizing a close-up attack was unlikely to succeed, Joker had Ares release a gust of wind from its blade, only for that razor-sharp wind to be slashed in half. "Tch!"

 _ **"You lot will have to do better than that!"**_ Takanashi's Shadow snarled. _**"You think you got any right to decide what justice is?! Nobody cares about that stupid shit!"**_

Light felt his hands ball into tight fists. He didn't know what was going on...but those words struck a chord in him.

"That doesn't mean much, coming from a guy who tries to stomp out anyone who gets in his way!" Morgana huffed. Zorro danced to his side and countered two blades in swift succession before managing to score a wound by launching a Garula at Asuras' shoulder, carving a wound in the process.

Asuras roared in anger and attempted to pay the not-cat creature in full by bringing its swords down on him, only to find Carmen intercepting it. Due to the Persona being flame resistant, she was easily able to defend against the burning waves before throwing Asuras off balance. Goemon darted to the side and launched two spears of ice. They struck the Shadow in the back, causing it to stumble. In retaliation, Asuras spun around and released a powerful red wave that washed right over them. The Phantom Thieves were forced back, their Personas reeling from the damage. Light himself felt the blow from his hiding place and struggled to remain in place.

 _'It feels like I'm in the middle of a furnace!'_ he thought as the heat wave subsided. Immediately afterwards, he watched the Phantom Thieves launch themselves back into the fray. "What even is going on here?!"

"It's kind of hard to explain, but..." Panther frowned, trying to explain the situation to him. "That thing is someone's twisted thoughts given a physical form. Basically what they are deep down inside. We call these guys Shadows. And guys like this are so twisted that they start to form here in this place. We fight them, so we can have them undergo a change of heart."

"Change of heart..." Light murmured. "So, you really are..."

"Panther, watch out!" Joker called. She looked up in time to see Asuras charging at her, blades poised to cut her down.

"Not this time, asshole! Captain Kidd!" Skull summoned his Persona, which rammed itself right into Asuras and forced it to miss its attack.

"Panther, you okay?"

Panther nodded. Asuras, angered, grabbed Captain Kidd and threw it aside, smashing it into the wall. When Ares attempted to strike from behind, Asuras blocked it and kicked it aside. This, however, left it open for Zorro and Goemon to strike from behind. Wind and ice pierced into its body and caused it to skid back. With its three heads snarling, Asuras roared and swung its fiery blades, creating scythes of flame. "Jack-o-Lantern!" Joker switched Personas in an instant. A pumpkin headed figure wearing a cloak and carrying a lamp appeared in place of the helmed war god, sucking in the flames into its lantern.

Goemon attempted to attack, but its pipe was knocked out of its hands. Unable to defend itself, fiery blades pierced into its body. Fox howled in pain, falling to his knee and clutching his chest. "Fox!" Panther cried. "You bastard! Carmen!" The masked Persona nodded and whipped one of her servants toward Asuras, wrapping them around its neck and pulling it back. Goemon dispersed into flames and reformed into Fox's mask, but the resident painter of the thieves was still trying to catch his breath.

Joker immediately went to his side, lending him his shoulder. "Thank you." he said gratefully. "I was careless. Takanashi has quite the impressive field of vision. Even if we were to attack from all sides, he'd easily be able to defend himself."

"Then we'll just have to cripple his field of vision!" Morgana suggested. "Joker, let's aim for the faces!"

Asuras scowled as it backed away, avoiding Captain Kidd from ramming into it again. _**"If you think I'll go down that easy, you got another thing coming!"**_ Takanashi's Shadow bellowed. _ **"I've come too far for a bunch of little shits who think they get to decide what's right or wrong to bring me down!"**_

"It isn't about deciding what's right or wrong!" Panther snapped. "It's about protecting people who can't fight back! That's what the Phantom Thieves are for! Stealing the hearts of corrupt, shitty adults like you!"

 _ **"Damn brats like you should just stay back and do what adults tell you to!"**_

"And let assholes like do whatever you want?" Joker shot back. "No thank you. Arsene!"

The Masked Thief materialized and shot a blast of dark energy. Asuras slashed the incoming blast into pieces, dispersing it. Then it once again locked blades with Goemon, one of its many arms defending from an incoming volley from Captain Kidd. Light watched the fight proceed with fascination, fear and awe. He felt like he had just stepped into some kind of shonen manga that his sister and classmates like to read. Panther's words came back to him earlier, how the monster they were fighting was someone's Shadow. Distorted and warped.

 _'Was I...like that once?'_ he thought with no small amount of disgust forming in his chest. _'Did the Phantom Thieves fight something like this monster? Was something like that in my own heart? Was I really...that distorted?'_

 _"What a foolish question. Don't you already have an answer?"_

Light blinked in confusion. What was that? Who said that? It sounded like...his voice, but that couldn't be right. He said nothing. He felt a presence looming over him, but he saw no one near him, except for Skull and Panther who were defending him from any stray attacks launched by the Shadow of Takanashi. _'Who was that? Was that my voice just now?'_

 _ **"Do you realize how far I had to get, how many lives I had to screw over, just to get to where I am today?!"** _Takanashi's Shadow snarled as it attempted to cut down Arsene, only for Joker's Persona to evade it with ease, returning to its summoner's side. _**"Justice don't mean a damn thing anymore! It's just an excuse people make up to justify themselves! I'm a piece of shit, sure, but at least I got the balls to admit it! And I'll continue being a piece of shit if it means I can get on top of the world!"**_

 _"Justice? An excuse?"_ the voice said coldly. _"Doesn't that sound familiar? Did you not use justice as an excuse to create a so-called better world?"_

"That was different!" He tried to argue in vain.

 _"How so? You murdered criminals practically everyday. All for what? To become a god?"_

Light tried to form an excuse, but the words died in his throat. All he could do was lower his head in shame. The voice continued. _"In truth, you've merely forgotten what justice once was. Absolute power shall corrupt absolutely. You tried to be perfect, but in the end, all you've accomplished is nothing. These thieves, who possess a twisted form of justice of their own, are far more righteous than you ever were."_ It paused, then laughed. _"But you already knew that, didn't you?"_

Asuras spun in a circle, creating another heat wave. This time, the Phantom Thieves were prepared for it and evaded the attack with ease. What they didn't expect was for Asuras to attack them while they were in mid-air, leaping into action and aiming for Captain Kidd. "Ah, shit-!" Skull was cut short when it slammed its blades down on his Persona, knocking it to the ground and dispersing it. Feeling the impact himself, Skull gripped his shoulder. "God damn he hits hard!"

"Everyone, regroup!" Joker ordered. They needed to change strategies.

However, Takanashi's Shadow wasn't about to make it so easy. _**"If you think I'll let you go for a second, you got another thing coming to you!"**_ In unison, all six of his arms lashed out and struck the Thieves.

Morgana smashed up against the ceiling, causing him to yelp in pain before he was sent falling to the ground. In spite of the intense burning pain, Fox managed to catch him in the air and land safely on the ground, setting his comrade down. Joker tumbled back, but managed to stop himself by slamming his knife into the ground and halt his retreat. Panther and Skull were both forced back, taking far less damage than the others due to the distance, but even they suffered quite a bit.

 _ **"Tch! Why won't you shits quit?! It's all pointless! Following some stupid idea of right or wrong won't get you anywhere!"**_ Asuras growled. _**"Everyone just uses each other for whatever reason! Justice doesn't exist! It's a made up, stupid idea! It's why this world is rotting and going to shit!"**_

 _'Rotting...'_

 _"Now doesn't that sound familiar?"_ The voice spoke again. _"You thought the same. This world truly is rotting, and nothing is done to stop it."_

"And look who's making it rot!" Skull hissed as he stood up, dusting himself off. "Fox! Let's give him a good ol' ass-kicking!"

Fox smiled. "Crude, but eloquent. Very well, lets!"

"Captain Kidd!"

"Goemon!"

The Pirate and Vagabond appeared and struck with blasts of electricity and ice, respectively.

Asura managed to deflect the incoming bolts of thunder, but it couldn't destroy all the shards of ice that were sent its way. One piece struck it in the knee, forcing it to kneel. Growling, it looked for any way to get ahead of these thieves and eliminate them. Its eyes settled on the lone non-combatant among them, hiding away behind a pillar. Grinning, it raised its blades. "Watch out, it's preparing for something!" Morgana shouted.

Light was too lost in his thoughts to notice the gleam in the Shadow's eyes, not knowing he was its target. _'Even if it is rotting...'_ Light thought. ' _These people, they're fighting against it. They're far better than I was. I killed people, not because it was the right thing to do, or because I was trying to protect Sayu. I was killing because I wanted to deny the fact that I had become a murderer. That I wasn't the perfect person I needed o be. I just used the justice my father and Masahiro-san believed in as an excuse.'_ He gripped the fabric of his shirt. ' _Even if justice does exist in this world... I don't have a reason to fight for it anymore! I can't do anything! Not like them! I don't even have the right to believe in it anymore!'_

 _"Is that so?"_ the voice inquired, curious. _"But what is justice, exactly? It is as this creature says. Justice is an illusion. It is an excuse people make up to justify their actions. The Phantom Thieves consider changing the hearts of corrupt men who twist society to be their justice. What was the justice you sought? The one you held onto before you realized this world was rotting? Or the make believe one you grasped the moment you touched that notebook?'_

"I...I..." Light did not know anymore.

 _"Not everything can be defined by a single thing alone. Tell me, what was the justice you hoped to gain so badly?"_

 _'The justice...I...'_

Memories played out in his mind. The earliest days with his mother before her passing. The days he spent looking after Sayu. The days he went through school, doing everything he could to earn a place in the world. A chance to make it better.

That's right...now he remembered. The reason for everything. Why everything started.

 _'Even when the world was rotting, and I turned into a murderer...'_ Light thought, not noticing how his eyes began to flicker into a golden-yellow color. _'My justice...was always to protect Sayu.'_

 _"Hoh? So you becoming a murderer out of some misguided attempt, twisted as it may be, wasn't the wrong choice?"_ the voice questioned him.

 _ **"If you believe in the shit you preach so much, let's see you try to protect that brat from this!"**_ Asuras roared. The flames that fueled his blades grew intense, and with a mighty swing, released a blazing arc of fire, heading straight for Light.

The Phantom Thieves all promptly panicked. They summoned their Personas, but none would reach Light in time. It was only now Light realized he was being targeted, but rather than fear for his life, he stared back in defiance. _'No, it wasn't wrong!'_ he shouted from the depths of his heart. "Changing the world...becoming a murderer...I accept all that comes with those decisions, but I'd do it again in a heartbeat if it meant I could protect Sayu! That...is my justice!"

The flames reached Light. But to the shock of everyone present, the blazing arc was blown away. "What?!" Morgana cried out in shock. To the surprise of the Phantom Thieves, a faint shadow danced around Light's body. A shadow that resembled dancing chain links. "Wait, could this be...?!"

 _"Hmhmhm..hahahahahahaha!"_ the voice boomed with laughter. _"So, you finally remembered the justice you sought? It's about time. You have kept me waiting long enough, my other self."_ Suddenly, an intense pain burned inside of Light's head, forcing him down to his knees. A hand clutched his head. His eyes became swallowed in gold. "You once lost sight of it, and let it become warped. If you have the resolve to keep to the straight path, then let us make a pact."

"What the eff?!" Skull shouted in shock. "H-hey, Mona?! Is this what I think it is?!"

"B-but how?!" Panther turned to their resident expert in all things regarding the Metaverse. "We defeated his Shadow! He shouldn't be able to awaken to a Persona, right?!"

Morgana nodded. "He shouldn't! But, there's no mistaking it! How could he be..." A moment later, his blue eyes widened. "It couldn't be... A regression?!"

 _"I am thou. Thou art I."_

Light staggered back up to his feet. Suddenly, a newfound sense of clarity washed over him. He raised his head, glaring at Takanashi's Shadow. It promptly recoiled from the intensity of the glare, feeling as if it were standing before the Yama himself. Blue flames flickered over his face, forming into a black mask. It resembled Joker's own white avian mask, but whereas it had black markings around the eyes, it had dark red lines encircling the holes.

 _"You have already embarked on the path of blood, have you not? Then continue forward, even if you will be damned for all of eternity. Now, let all those who do not repent for their sins be dragged to the depths of hell!"_

"Right..." Light whispered, a hand touching his mask. "I hear you..."

He gripped the mask as tight as he could, and with a swift tug, ripped it from his face. Blood splashed and he couldn't help but roar in pain. Following the action was a burst of blue fire that exploded, creating a massive shockwave that kicked up dust and debris. Before their very eyes, Light's clothes were swallowed by the flames. As they died down, he was revealed to be dressed in an entirely new set of clothes: a heavy black trench-coat with a dark red vest underneath, complete with a white dress shirt and a cravat bearing a bloody neckerchief. For leggings, he wore pinstripe slacks and dress shoes, with a lopsided belt strapped to his waist.

Behind him, a massive figure stood. It was tall, easily towering over the average adult male. It wore a fancy pinstripe suit with a cravat at its neck, butterfly brooch pinned to the cloth. Over its shoulders was a jet black coat with golden metal attached to its laurels. Strangely, the coat itself seemed to be made of smoke, ghastly and flowing as if it were alive. A wide-brimmed hat rested over its head, long white hair flowing out from it and whipping around in the wind. Its face was hidden behind a silver mask, slits showing menacing golden eyes that burned like fire and glaring at Asuras with barely-concealed contempt. Over its forearms and hands were silver gauntlets, bearing sharp talons. Held in its grasp, stabbed into the ground, was a giant broadsword with a dark gold pommel with chains wrapped around the center of the hilt. The blade itself was large, bearing a serrated edge and a blood-red strip down the center of the sword.

Light opened his eyes, revealing them to have returned to their former brown luster, though they now had a red tinge to them. He glanced back at the Persona that stood behind him, then put a palm over his face. Slowly, a laugh began to escape his throat. "This power...it's amazing. Not even the Death Note could compare to this." he said, a crazed smile dancing across his face. "So, this is the power of the Phantom Thieves, hm?"

"Y-you..." Asuras backed away, raising its blades in defense. "Who the hell are you?!"

"Who, me?" Light's smile grew. "I'm a murderer. My name is Light Yagami, but you can call me Kira." Asuras' eyes widened. "Let me pay you back for trying to kill me earlier." He swung his arm out, and in response, the demonic nobleman behind him pulled the greatsword out from the ground, grasping it with both hands and aiming it at the Shadow. "Send 'em to hell, **Count**!"

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**

* * *

 _"_ _...You are held captive. A prisoner of fate to a future that has been sealed in advance. This is truly an unjust game... Your chances of winning are almost none. But if my voice is reaching you, there may yet be a possibility open to you..." -Mysterious Voice, "Persona 5"_

* * *

Here's Your Warning!

Light Yagami developed a Persona?! This shocking development leads to the Phantom Thieves obtaining a new member, but before they have time to celebrate, an unexpected person brings them their next big target! Kira's absence leads to criminals acting more boldly, and their new target will do whatever it takes to get what he wants! It's Light's first real test as a member of the Phantom Thieves, but can he accept this new justice? Or is he destined to fall to his old ways?

The Next Heist: The Sinner of Greed

 _Don't miss it, baby!_

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE:** For your musical pleasure, may I suggest the Devil May Cry 5 OST: Crimson Cloud? Somehow, I can't help but feel it fits Light in this instance.

For any who are wondering, Light's Persona, Count, is in reference to the famous literary character Edmond Dantes, better known as the Count of Monte Cristo. in literature, Dumas' story is called the greatest revenge story ever told, and then some. I was originally planning on using Antonio Sallieri, but I felt that the Count suited Light better.

The story, Beneath the Mask, the story that gave me the idea of a "regression." If someone who has a Persona could have a Palace, then what's to say that someone who once had a Palace can't develop a Persona of their own? Sure, that's not how in works in the game, but again. The beauty of fanfiction. Imagination at its finest.

By the way, if anyone asks, here would be the stat sheet for Light's Persona:

 _Count_  
Aeon  
Level 23

Neutral: Pierce Attacks, Fire, Ice, Electricity, Wind, Nuclear, Psy  
Strong: Physical Attacks, Bless  
Weak: Curse

Skills:  
Giant Slice, Kouga, Makouha, Hamaon, Counterstrike, Bless Boost, Life Drain

Special thanks go to Daemon of Wrath, who helped bring this chapter to life! Please be sure to give this man thanks as well.

* * *

 **REVIEWS**

foxchick1: This is only the beginning of his journey.

Gamelover41592: That's only because my muse is working with me right now. I doubt it will in later chapters, though.

unnoticed reader: Given that the storyline's of Death Note and P5 are mixed, there's no way I couldn't let it end there. Not when L's presence alone is cause for concern, or a certain yandere stalker and religious nutjob? And Light's ultimate desire hasn't changed, yes. The only thing that will change are the methods he takes to get there.

Shoujo-hime1412: Thank you! I hope you continue to enjoy this story!

ShinKyu: It certainly is bizarre. Especially since this means the number of oddballs in the Phantom Thieves goes up. Hell, Light has them all beat. Since, you know, he's a serial killer and all. And thank you for that correction.


	7. The Sinner of Greed (Part 1)

_"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." -Abraham Lincoln_

* * *

 **WARNING LETTER**

* * *

When the group got over Light's shocking moment of developing a Persona, they went right back into fighting back against Takanashi's Shadow. It was still a lengthy battle, but Light's added inclusion had somehow worked into their favor. The Asuras had been forced onto the defensive, and Joker saw fit to lay it low. Though Light was inexperienced and still confused about what was going on, he was quick to catch how to use this newfound power - this Persona ability - and did his best to coordinate his movements with the others. By the end of it, Kamiyama Takanashi had been defeated and reduced to his original form. The arrogance that once seeped from his confident form was removed entirely. Now he was a nervous, stammering wreck.

Light didn't quite remember what happened after Takanashi's Shadow reverted to normal, on account of the exhaustion hitting him like a freight train. The Phantom Thieves had taken him out of Mementos and back out into the real world, where Ryuk was waiting for him.

He never could have guessed who was underneath those masks when he met the Phantom Thieves, face to face for the first time.

"Now I really wonder if there's a god, because this has to be a joke or something." Light said dryly as he massaged his forehead. He was still reeling from his experience in Mementos. Currently, the group had taken residence at Big Bang Burger while he recovered from the incident. Yusuke and Ann set next to him on either side while Ryuji and Ren were on the opposite seats. "The guy who offered me coffee the other day turns out to be a phantom thief."

"In my defense, I didn't know I would run into you that day." Ren offered a small smile. "And sorry for dragging you into that. I should have been more careful."

Yusuke nodded. "We normally don't have trouble dragging people into the Metaverse by accident." he added. "How are you feeling, Yagami-san?"

"Like my head just got split." Light answered before he smiled somewhat. "But, somehow... A little better." He then looked at the group. They were so...different than what he was expecting. When he heard of the Phantom Thieves, he wasn't sure what he would come across, but this was certainly not what he thought. These were high school students like him. People who were fed up with the world. "So, you guys are the Phantom Thieves."

Ryuji seemed sheepish. "Yeah, guilty as charged."

The situation felt very awkward for the thieves. This was, after all, the first time one of their previous targets was with them. And more importantly, it was the first time their target actually knew who they were. This brought forth the fear that Light might actually want revenge against them, and he now had the means to do so. Especially after what they just witnessed. A Persona manifesting, even though his Palace had been destroyed. Morgana called it a regression, but what did that mean?

Nervous, Ann tried to defuse the situation before could start. "Um, Light-kun-"

"Thank you."

The words were so sudden and so heartfelt, they were stunned into silence. Light never looked away, and meant every word. "If it weren't for you all, I would probably continue on with...you know." he glanced around the restaurant, in fear that someone may overhear him. "So, thank you for stopping me."

"Uh...y-your welcome?" Ryuji fumbled. Now this was just plain weird. It was one thing for a past target to know who they were, but it was another thing altogether when said target thanked you for stealing their heart. "I-I think?"

"So..." Ren scratched the back of his neck. "I'm guessing you have a lot of questions, then?" Light nodded. There was a lot he needed to ask. "Alright, then. Morgana, you wanna field this?"

"Why are you passing onto me?!" Morgana complained. Light blinked, looking for the source of the voice. Shaking his head and muttering under his breath, the not-cat creature leaped up to the table, earning Light's attention. "Well, whatever. Truth be told, I'm rather curious about you myself. It's not everyday you see someone undergo a regression."

He stared at Morgana for ten seconds, then looked at Ren. "It's...talking." he said slowly. "You have a talking cat."

"You don't sound very surprised." Yusuke remarked. Admittedly, he had a bit of a similar reaction, but he was far more bewildered by Morgana's appearance in the Metaverse.

Light shrugged. "I live with a Shinigami. A talking cat is far less surprising."

* * *

CHAPTER 07: The Sinner of Greed (Part 1)

* * *

The explanation had ended when Light received a panicked phone call from his sister. Judging from his reactions and his attempts to calm his sister down, she had assumed that he had either gotten into an accident or attempted to turn himself over to the police. After apologizing for the whole thing and thanking them for informing him about the Metaverse and Personas, he had returned home.

"Man, that was crazy..." Ryuji groaned as he leaned in his seat. "The difference is like night and day. I mean, sure, we never met the guy in person until now, but he was waaay different from his Shadow."

"About that..." Ann frowned as she turned to Morgana. "Mona, about what happened earlier in Mementos, when Yagami-san gained a Persona. We destroyed his Palace and took his Treasure, so how did he get one?"

"You mentioned something about a regression." Yusuke pointed out. "What exactly do you mean?"

"Typically, a regression would be something being returned to its former, or less developed state." Morgana explained, flicking his tail. "In this case, a regression is when someone who's desires have been erased recalls what twisted them in the first place. For example, let's take Kamoshida. His twisted desires came as a result of him clinging onto his fame, which led to him feeling entitled to do however he pleased. By undergoing a regression, he would remember why he wanted to cling to his fame."

Ryuji frowned. "I...don't really get it."

"I believe I do." Yusuke said, bringing eyes to him. "Simply, if we were to erase their distorted cognitions and undergo this regression, they'd recall what led them to becoming so twisted in the first place. In my case, if Madarame were to remember why he plagarized his students' artwork, it was because of the day he took my mother's artwork for his own and debased it."

"Okay, I think I get it." Ann nodded in understanding. "So then, Yagami-san remembered why he became Kira in the first place."

"His sister..." Ren hummed, folding his arms.

It was certainly sad, now that he thought about it. Al of those deaths, because someone was too terrified of the idea of how cruel the world had become to live in. A crusade of blood and death for the sake of his sister, and yet he became twisted and warped. No better than people he killed. Now that he underwent this regression, it had led him to remember why he became Kira in the first place. But had it really caused him to develop a Persona? It seemed so radically different from how they all gained theirs. Always, their Personas embodied their wills of rebellion, gained from facing the harsh realities before them. For Ren, it was helping Ryuji, even though the last time he had done so he had been slapped with a criminal record. For Ryuji, it was standing up to Kamoshida after all he had done. For Ann, it was standing up for Kamoshida after what he had done to Shiho. For Yusuke, it was to confront his teacher after having made his life hell through abuse and lies.

But now that he thought about it, he never knew what led to Morgana awakening his Persona. Hm, something to look into at a later date.

"So, thinking about his little sis is what made him remember why he became Kira in the first place, and that's what made him awaken to a Persona?" Ryuji asked, face scrunched. He looked even more confused. "Ugh, I don't get any of this..."

"I didn't expect you would." Morgana said lamely. "But I'm surprised by the level of power it had. I think it might be as powerful as even your Persona, Ren."

Ren blinked in surprise at that. As powerful as Arsene? Admittedly, he needed a lot of Spell Cards to get Arsene to where he was now, but to hear such words. It spoke volumes.

Actually, it even brought an idea to mind. A crazy one, but it was worth bringing up. "Hm? Something up, RenRen?" Ryuji asked.

Ren adjusted his glasses, creating a reflective glare. "Don't call me that." he said in a serious tone before falling back to his old one. "There's something I wanna ask you guys..."

As he expected when he brought the idea up, they all looked shocked and scandalized, bringing a smile to his face.

* * *

 **"Huh. So you're still alive, huh?"**

"Yeah, no thanks to you." Light said tiredly as he flopped onto his bed. He had hoped the Shinigami had left, but obviously that had been hoping for too much. He spent a good ten minutes reassuring Sayu that he was okay. In fact, despite feeling exhausted, he felt better than he had in years. "So, what exactly scares you about that place so much that you'd break out into a cold sweat? I thought Shinigami were immortal."

Ryuk scoffed, taking a bite out of the apple in his basket. **"Not exactly. Even we Shinigami have a life span. It's just longer than what you humans have. Remember how I told you about how when we kill someone before they're supposed to die, we take their remaining lifespan for ourselves? When our lifespan runs out, that's it. We go kaput. It's either that, or somebody's stupid enough to go breaking the rules and suffers a punishment from the old geezer. You're lucky if you get anything below Level 4. If you get Level 3 punishment, or worse, the Extreme Level, well... Let's just say turning into a pile of dust is preferable."** Ryuk swallowed the core of the apple hole, the lump trailing down his throat before vanishing from sight entirely. He let out a content burp, laughing before he continued. " **And even then, dying like that's preferable to what that thing in Mementos will do to you. See, there's thing at the bottom. Think of it like Mementos' owner. It's territorial. And it sure don't like Shinigami there."**

Light recalled how Mementos was a Palace. More specifically, the Palace of the general public. Yet here Ryuk was, saying Mementos was ruled by someone. Was it perhaps the public itself? Or the populace's Shadow? So many possibilities. Hell, this whole Metaverse thing has enough to keep him up at night.

Out of mere curiosity, and worried just how distorted he was, Light had asked the Shujin and Kosei students about what his Palace had been like. When they told him, he couldn't believe how terrible his own thoughts had become. All because he touched the Death Note and let its power get to his head. _'No, that isn't right.'_ Light thought, shaking his head. _'I was already distorted before I found that notebook. It just gave me an even worse view.'_ It must have been horrible to Sayu, having to suffer through that. Knowing what he had become.

And it was thanks to those guys that he had changed. That he could finally walk away from that path. Even so, he would not forget what has happened up to this point. Kurou Otoharada, Takuo Shibuimaru, Lind L. Tailor and so many others. Hundreds of thousands of criminals, all dead at his hand. All for some misguided purpose of creating a better world. Even if he succeeded, it wouldn't be better. It would still be rotting.

Light was fine letting it rot. After all, there was someone out there already changing it.

 **"Hey, what's that stupid smile on your face for?"** Ryuk questioned. Light blinked and touched his face. Sure enough, he was smiling. **"Did something good happen in there or something?"**

He grinned. "You could say that."

Ryuk tilted his head, but shrugged. It wouldn't be later when Light had fallen asleep and he was left to wander the house that he finally noticed how Light's presence had changed considerably, and the power that now resided. When he did, he fell into cackling laughter.

 **"Humans are so _interesting_!"**

* * *

When it was time for school, everyone had noticed Light had suddenly regained his confidence. Or more accurately, how different he was than before. When he underwent his change of heart, he seemed trouble and had problems looking someone in the eye, and was fumbling in class. Now, he walked straighter with some sort of clear focus. The teachers were happy to see him back in his groove, though they had noticed he seemed slightly more aloof now. Before, he had taken his studies seriously and acted with diligence. Now it seemed like he didn't even bother to try.

And much to the ire of everyone, he was still succeeding.

 **"Seems like everybody wants your head on a pike."** Ryuk noticed the harsh glares. **"I** **don't** **think they were this bad before, though."**

Light didn't respond verbally. He simply pretended he was taking notes in his booklet, only to reveal a message for the Shinigami to read: _"Where have you been? They've_ never _liked me. Girls either approached me because they wanted to brag to their friends that they were talking to the top student in their year or that they had the smartest boyfriend in the whole school. And people only tolerate me because I work hard."_

Ryuk hummed. " **Guess I see your point. So you just stopped caring how they see you now, because I think seeing you barely put any effort into all this stuff just pissed them off even worse. Not that I'm worried about you or anything. It's just pretty funny to see them get worked up over the stupidest things."**

"Oh, Yagami-san! There you are." Light paused and looked up to find Akechi approaching him. Ryuk noticed him and gave him a puzzled look. He could feel the same sort of presence that he did from Light and those kids and that woman from him, but something about Akechi felt off. Very off, like there was something unnatural about it. What, though, he couldn't tell. "I'm glad to see your feeling better. You seemed quite out of these past few days."

Light raised an eyebrow. "I wasn't under the impression you cared all that much." he said as he gathered his things. "No offense, Akechi-san, but I don't recall the two of us being friends."

"Hm, true. We aren't." Akechi conceded. "However, I do see you as a sort of academic rival. After all, the school can only afford one student a scholarship to To-oh University."

"About that..." Light scratched the back of his head. "You can have the scholarship. I've decided not to go to To-oh."

The room suddenly went dead silent. Wide-eyed stares were all directed at Light Yagami, many of whom were openly questioning of he had suffered some sort of head concussion or if he was sick. Even Akechi seemed startled by his admission. "Y-you aren't?" he asked, unable to hide his shock. "B-but why? Given your academic skills, you could have easily made it there, scholarship or no. Why the sudden change?"

"I gave my future some thought, that's all." Light shrugged. "I haven't really decided what I'll do once I graduate. Even if I attend college, I don't think things will change for me." 'And it won't wipe away this blood, either.' he added in his mind solemnly, hands tightening around the strap on his school bag. "Anyway, if that's all, I need to get back home. I promised Sayu I'd get her some Okonomiyaki."

Akechi, still stunned, nodded dumbly and stepped aside. Light bowed his head in gratitude and left, thus allowing the students to enter a rage of hushed whispers. **"Way to drop a bombshell there, Light~"** Ryuk laughed heartily. **"I think you just became my favorite human again."**

 _"Great to hear that."_ Light wrote back with clear sarcasm in each stroke of the pen.

* * *

Soichiro had returned home with a heavy heart, still thinking about the recent turn of events. Just yesterday, he and the rest of the Japanese Task Force had all met L in person for the first time, as per their agreement for L to conduct surveillance on his family and confirm his suspicions. The man was nothing what they were expecting. In all honesty, Watari, once he removed those heavy clothes of his, looked more what he was expecting. L was clearly in his mid-twenties, but he was still very young. Not to mention he looked like an insomniac, given the heavy dark rings under his eyes. A loose shirt and jeans, messy hair and barefoot to boot!

Even so, when they sat in the hotel room and discussed their plans, it had only taken ten minutes for Soichiro and the rest to be convinced that this was not some proxy or stand-in. This was indeed L.

Never judge a book by its cover, indeed.

L, or Ryuzaki as he preferred when on the job, discussed everything regarding the Kira case, both what they knew and what kind of information he discovered up to this point in time. As it turned out, Light was not the only suspect L had considered. There were several others in Japan, including Police Commissioner Kitamura's own family. Primarily, the suspects were all family members of the Task Force, hence the suspicion. The others had begrudgingly accepted the facts, but were still no less pleased to learn they were being investigated. Ide in particular looked ready to slug the man. When discussing the case further, L had also done psychological profiles on each suspect.

Light's in particular made Soichiro's gut clench. Young enough to realize that the world was screwed up. That there were people abusing the justice system. That there were people who could get away with what they were doing. To Light, even when he was old enough to understand right from wrong, the world had started to rot. The worst part was that Soichiro knew L's assessment was right. And it made him hurt all the more when L had brought up another point in the profile: his status as a perfectionist. To achieve what he needed in life, he needed to be perfect in all aspects. If Light was indeed Kira, then killing a man would undo that status and destroy his image of perfection. This led to the idea that Light needed to rationalize what he had done by justifying that Kurou Otoharada was evil, and therefore needed to die. But this newfound ability to kill had led to Light developing an ego that would develop into a god complex.

If Light was indeed Kira, then Soichiro couldn't help but feel responsible for his son becoming a monster. What if all of this was because he was not present in Light's life? To tell him that there was no need to push himself so hard? He was a failure as a parent. He missed so many birthdays, it was a wonder how in the world neither of his children didn't have him. He wasn't like Sachiko, who worked hard at the household and still had time to listen to her children. He wasn't always there in their lives when they needed him.

 _'How am I supposed to face Sachiko and tell her that my son might be a monster, all because I wasn't there for him?'_ Soichiro thought sadly. He reached the front door and steeled himself. He put on his best poker face and opened the front door, stepping inside. "I'm home!" he announced, removing his jacket and setting the briefcase down by the shoe rack. He sat down to remove his own shoes when he heard footsteps rushing towards him.

"Welcome home, Dad!" Sayu greeted happily. His mind thought back to what L told him, that the reason why Light had suddenly changed was because Sayu had found the forum for the Phantom Thieves and requested a change of heart. That meant she knew he was Kira. He didn't dare ask how she knew or why she never told him. Even he would have a hard time believing it, and even if he did believe her, he couldn't imagine the scenario in which he would arrest his own son, nor what his expression would be. It made his chest hurt even worse when he pictured it. "How was work?"

"Tiring, as usual." he told her. Not exactly a lie. "In fact, I think I feel more exhausted than I usually do." He slipped on his house shoes and stood up, then catching a whiff of something delicious. It smelled oddly familiar for some reason. "Is dinner almost ready?"

Sayu nodded. "Yep, almost!" she said, beaming. "Light's cooking this time!"

Soichiro's eyes widened somewhat. Light was cooking? Now that was rare. He usually only cooked on special occasions, like the time he was promoted to Police Chief or when Light was on a straight track for a scholarship at To-Oh University. "What's he making?" he asked out of curiosity.

"Fried Tempura Shrimp!"

His mouth went dry. _'That was Sachiko's favorite dish.'_ The woman made it for him on the day he asked her to marry him. And then on their wedding day. And the day she told him she was pregnant with Light. Then again when she told him they were going to have a baby girl. For Light to be making Sachiko's signature dish...

He followed Sayu into the dining room. Light's back was turned to him, working the stove as if he were a master artisan in the kitchen. When he turned around, Soichiro's throat was caught. "Welcome back, Dad!" Light was smiling. It was a genuine smile. His eyes were different. There was regret and shame in those eyes, but they had lessened. It was as if the poor boy had a burden lifted from his shoulders. A fire was lit in them. Some kind of newfound resolve. Whatever it was, Soichiro found himself looking at the Light Yagami he had raised for the first time in years. "How was work today?"

Soichiro felt like he wanted to cry. "I already talked with Sayu about it, but it was exhausting." he said, putting on a smile and making sure his face didn't crack as he sat down. "So, what's the special occasion? You only cook when something amazing is going on."

"I just felt like it." Light replied. "Hope you still like Fried Tempura Shrimp. Should be ready in a few minutes."

* * *

Dinner was lively, more than it had been in recent memory. Whenever Soichiro joined at dinner, Light's conversations were always clipped and factual, only responding when talked to. Now, he was actively part of the conversation. He was talking about how his day at school went, with him telling Sayu and his father about how everyone was glaring at him when he put barely any effort into his studies in class, and still walked out with full marks on the mock exam the teacher had lined up for them.

"That's pretty impressive!" Sayu complimented. "I mean, you were out sick for a few days, and you still aced it! That's my big brother for you! I don't think you even need a scholarship at this point to get into To-Oh."

"Actually, about that..." Light turned sheepish all of a sudden. "I decided I won't be attending To-Oh once I graduate. Actually, I've been thinking of putting off college once I finish schooling at Daikoku."

Soichiro's jaw slackened. Sayu gaped in shock. What on Earth was he hearing? Was Light serious? Was-was this part of the change of heart the Phantom Thieves imposed on him also? "May I ask why?"

"I wanted more time to put some thought into my future is all." his son explained, looking him in the eye. Each word that fell from his mouth was sincere and heartfelt. Not a single word he spoke was a lie. "If I rush into things, I might crash and burn. And some stuff has happened recently that made me rethink about my future." Soichiro already knew what it could be. And if those suspicions were indeed true, then it made looking at Light all the more harder. "I know, it sounds pretty irresponsable of me, but I... I want to try and find out for myself what I can really do. Outside of working hard and joining the police academy."

"I see." Soichiro nodded. Passionate words. God, he felt like he was about to break. "I'm not disappointed in your decision, Light. In fact, I think it's a wise decision. After all, with how hard you've been working, you deserve some time to think for yourself."

Light smiled. For a moment, the police chief saw Sachiko in him. His heart hammered against his chest. "Thanks, dad."

 _"In other news, more recent updates on the ongoing Phantom Thieves of Hearts phenomenon!"_ the TV blared in the background. Sayu had whirled around, listening with newfound rapt attention. Even Light showed interest, though Soichiro had a feeling it was for another reason entirely. _"Earlier today, well-known prosecutor Kamiyama Takanashi turned in his letter of resignation and turned himself over to the police station, having confessed to forging evidence to convict defendants. Many were shocked by this development, with a few of Takanashi-san's colleagues commenting that his demeanor is a far cry to what it is now. Investigations show that the now widely-watched Phantom Aficionado Website, dubbed the Phan-Site by the general public, has a request revealing detailed information about Takanashi-san's current case. Many now believe that his subsequent change in personality is the work of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts."_

Soichiro's nose wrinkled into disgust. "A prosecutor, forging evidence?" he said with disdain. "Disgraceful."

"No kidding..." Sayu frowned heavily. "It even says he was trying to push the death penalty onto the accused. What's _wrong_ with people today?"

 _"Recent investigations also show other change of hearts in various other requests that have been made out to the Phantom Thieves of Hearts."_ the anchor continued. _"Earlier this week, famed high school detective Goro Akechi and Kanto Region Police Chief Soichiro Yagami discussed these seemingly modern-day Robin Hoods in an interview at Sakura TV, with both commenting their actions being outside the law. Akechi-san was the most vocal of his disapproval. Recent surveys seem to show that the Phantom Thieves of Hearts have garnered quite a few supporters, with a small number of them even voicing their support for them over Kira. Which brings us to our next topic: the Kira murder cases."_

Soichiro's jaw tightened. L had decided to lift the information ban, if only to gauge the reactions of the public and the suspects. Now that Light would be viewing this, his reactions would be telling whether or not the suspicions had any ground. He carefully watched his son's face, looking for any sort of faults or twitches and tells that could give him away.

 _"As many have come to be aware, Kira's numerous killings occur each day and without fail. In Japan alone, on each day, 24 victims are reported dead, with many more found overseas. However, rather baffling to the law enforcement and government agencies investigating the murder cases, there have been no reported deaths and incidents within this past week! Many are suggesting that perhaps Kira has taken a reprieve in his daily killings, while others suggest he may have been arrested. A few have even begun to say that the Phantom Thieves of Hearts have triggered a change of heart within Kira, yet no one has come forward to take responsability for the crimes and confess. While there have been many people who claim to be Kira, there has been no evidence that suggests they are indeed this illustrious killer. As it stands, we have no idea whether Kira is still among us, or he has ceased any and all activities. Only time will tell. This has been NHK World-Japan, Yoshio Arisawa. Back to you, Miyabi-san!"_

"Looks like things are getting pretty heated up, huh?" Sayu mentioned as she turned away from the TV and back to her dinner. "A few of my friends say they support Kira. I don't know why they would, though."

Soichiro smiled thinly. "Who do you support, Sayu?"

"Um, is it okay if I say?" He nodded. She was entitled to her own opinion, and had no reason to dissuade her otherwise. Besides, he had already voice his support for the Phantom Thieves himself. Sayu beamed. "The Phantom Thieves! They're so cool! I mean, it's pretty cool that they target bad people like those Kamoshida and Madarame guys, but just the fact that they're like modern-day Arsene Lupin! And they don't even ask for anything in return!"

Light chuckled. "Who's to say they need to? For all we know, they rob the poor guys blind." he said jokingly.

Soichiro then decided to strike while the iron was hot. Light hadn't shown any visible reaction, so perhaps a push was in order. "How about you, Light?"

"Well, the Phantom Thieves, of course." The response was swift, and more importantly, it came right from the heart. Soichiro couldn't hide his shock. Sayu herself seemed surprised by his answer. "They're a hell of a lot better than Kira. Sure, Akechi says that they haven't killed anyone yet, but who's to say they will? We might have only seen them go after two people so far, but they've also changed other people's hearts as well. Way I see it, if they are evil, I'd take the lesser of two any day."

"I..." Soichiro swallowed the lump in his throat. That had not been the answer he was expecting. He thought he would hear Light speak neutrally or denounce both sides. But he took the side of the people who changed his heart. And with such fervent passion as well. More than that, he had denounced Kira on top of that!

If Light was indeed Kira, and he had undergone a change of heart, then Soichiro didn't know whether to curse the Phantom Thieves for making him so painfully aware of the reality before him or thank them profusely a thousand times for what they had done.

"What's wrong, dad?" Sayu asked worriedly. "You okay?"

"I'm fine." Soichiro said quickly. "Dinner's wonderful, Light. It's just like how Sachiko made it."

And it wasn't a lie. It was exactly the same. For the rest of dinner, the old man felt as if his wife were still alive, watching over this family and comforting him as he weeped on the inside for the innocence that his son had lost.

* * *

School had arrived once again, and Light had rolled through it with little trouble whatsoever. He did note how everyone seemed to be glaring at him far more intensely. Later that day, he started hearing talk about how he received an ego boost of some kind, if he thought he didn't need a scholarship to get into a university of such great prestige like To-Oh. There were even some who thought he was arrogant enough to believe that he felt like he was too good to attend To-Oh.

He sighed at the ridiculous rumors. **"The rumor mill really is something."** Ryuk said in fascination. **"I think I've heard more people curse you than I have heard people raving about who's better: the Phantom Thieves or Kira. Speaking of which, aren't you going to do anything?"**

Light bit into an apple, glancing up at Ryuk with a raised brow.

" **At the rate things are going, it won't be long before the police and even your own dad start suspecting you."** Ryuk pointed out to him. **"C'mon, Light, let's face it. Your earlier pity party probably set off alarm bells and that FBI guy probably already sent his report to L. Which means you're probably on his suspect list. And with how you've been acting lately, it's only a matter of time before they come knocking on your front door with warrants and handcuffs. And maybe a firing squad."**

Light pulled out his cellphone, fingers speeding across the keyboard. On the screen, it read: _"What's your point?"_

Ryuk had to admit, Light's cockiness hadn't gone away. In fact, he dare sayed it came back with a vengeance with how nonchalant he was treating the whole thing. **"Aren't you worried that your sister might turn you in, or they find the Death Note? All they gotta do is look a little harder. Sure, they'll get burned in the process if they set off that security measure of yours and set your house on fire, but they'll still find it. And when they do, then you're, as the humans put it, shit outta luck!"**

" _What happens, happens, Ryuk."_ Light texted back a moment later. _"I'm a killer, and I will accept the consequences of my actions. Until that happens, though, I'll continue to live out my life. So, until the police come to arrest me, I'll continue to be society's prodigy."_

The Shinigami stared at Light a little while longer, then laughed. **"You just keep finding ways to surprise me, Light."** he said. He was happy, though. It meant he could see more fun play out. After all, whether Light realized it or not, he was intertwined with the Phantom Thieves now. Just then, a text message popped up on Light's phone. To both the human and Ryuk's surprise, it was from one of the aforementioned thieves, Yusuke Kitagawa. He had offered their contact information, in case he had any further questions about the Metaverse or Personas and whatnot. **"Hah, speak of the devil!"**

Light was curious as to why one of the Phantom Thieves was contacting him. Maybe they still suspected he was abusing the Death Note? He opened up the text message and read it a moment later.

 _ **Yusuke Kitagawa – Do you have a moment, Yagami-san?**_

 _ **Light Yagami – What is it?**_

 _ **Yusuke Kitagawa – I'm sorry if this might come out of left field, but there's something we'd like to discuss with you after school. Would you mind meeting us at the Shibuya Walkway?**_

 _ **Light Yagami – Alright. I don't understand what's going on, but I can hazard a guess.**_

 _ **Yusuke Kitagawa – Thank you. I'll be sure to inform everyone of your arrival. Have a nice day in class.**_

The chat ended there and Light pocketed his phone. The Phantom Thieves wanted to speak with him in person? Hm, interesting. _'I wonder what it could be about…?'_

* * *

Once school was over, Light had informed Sayu that he would be a little late to return home, having to run an errand before he came back. A quick train ride to Shibuya, and he was once again back where everything had started. The Phantom Thieves were there waiting for him, a few looking nervous and another appearing anxious. The talking cat, Morgana, was lounging on the railing.

"Sorry to call you on such short notice." Yusuke apologized again.

Light waved a hand. "It's fine." he said. "I'm sorry this guy had to come along too."

" **Hey, now that hurts."** Ryuk said with a mock tone of hurt in his voice. **"Shinigami have feelings too, ya know."**

Ren tilted his head. "Do they really?"

" **Some of us. They're the odd ones out."** Ryuk admitted. **"So, what's all this about?"**

Upon being addressed, Ryuji shared a look with Morgana. They were clearly uncomfortable about something, probably whatever it was that they wanted to talk about with him. Yusuke seemed like he was anticipating something, watching on like a hawk while Ann shifted anxiously on her foot.

"Mind telling me what's going on?" Light asked.

Ren nodded. "I'll get to the point." he said as he adjusted his glasses. "Yagami-san. How would you like to become a phantom thief?"

"...what?"

 **TO BE CONTINUED…**

* * *

" _The name of the human who's written in this note shall die." -Rules of the Death Note, "Death Note"_

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE** : Allow me to be frank, but I am amazed by how my muse wants me to create new chapters!

Anyway, I chose not to cover the rest of the battle against Takanashi's Shadow, mostly because I didn't really see the point. I want to showcase Light's Persona, Count, proper when we also involve Makoto. Speaking of which, she will also be prominently featured in the next chapter.

I also received a PM asking me about the decision to make Light's Persona the Aeon Arcana. To quote Sojiro, let me explain.

According to the Megami Tensei wiki, " _A common theme for characters representing the Aeon Arcana is their attempts to fully understand themselves, as well as the world around them. In both of the Aeon Arcana's appearances, the Social Link characters in question were unfamiliar with the way the real world works, and struggled to discover their own place in this unfamiliar world."_

Light isn't of unique nature like Aigis or Marie was. However, he is in similar circumstances. Up until now, Light was disgusted by how corrupt and vile the world was and couldn't accept it. Now that he has his heart changed, he has to accept that this is the world he now lives in, and struggles with how his own desire to be perfect has ruined him. Granted, he'll be part of the group wanting to change society, but the fact remains that he is, for all intents and purposes, accepting to live in the world he considers to be rotting.

That's my reasoning, anyway. Also, may I point out that I just love writing character interactions? I don't know why that is, but it's easily the parts that flow together more perfectly than any fight scenes I might be able to make.

* * *

 **REVIEWS**

Gamelover41592: I'm happy that you enjoyed this chapter immensely! Please continue to support this story and help me along the way!

IrishKatana: That was what this story was building up to. Seemed like a waste opportunity not to, if you ask me. Also, I'm afraid I can't say anything about Misa. Spoilers, sorry. But what I can say is that she won't be removed from the plot. Don't forget, the public has become aware that Kira's stopped killing, and that the Phantom Thieves may have changed his heart. Considering who Misa is...need I say more?

HOClover: The design for Count was easy enough, but Light's Metaverse rebel outfit was a bit harder. I eventually settled on a gaslight-esque look. But I'm happy you are enjoying the story so far.

ShinKyu: Let me tell you, that scene was so much fun to write, and Daemon of Wrath also deserves credit for helping bringing that chapter to life also! And yes, as Ryuk pointed out, Light's behavior changing is going to raise some flags. As will Light's new choice of company. That said, I can't help but feel how L will also take note of Ren, both because of his own circumstances and for his own behavior, as he is building up psych profiles on all characters also.

unnoticed reader: First off, you cheeky bugger! You stole what I was going to say in the AN! And secondly, I'm glad you thought so. It was a bit tough, deciding what Light's initial Persona would be, which says something because I already had his Ultimate Persona in mind for him. Sadly, you won't be seeing that particular one until near the Traitor storyline.

Solartiger: I have a little story in mind for Sae, given how the Niijima and Yagami's are friends with one another, but L will immediately be on to Goro's bullshit in a heartbeat. And then some. He isn't considered to be the world's greatest detective for nothing, after all.


	8. The Sinner of Greed (Part 2)

_"Game over. This is how your justice ends." -The traitor, "Persona 5"_

* * *

 **WARNING LETTER**

* * *

Light stared at Ren, who was completely stone-faced. Ann looked anxious, looking back and forth between them. Yusuke watched on quietly, waiting in anticipation. Only Ryuji and Morgana looked worried by what might happen. Ryuk, on the other hand, was laughing his ass off, dangling in the air while holding his sides as they began to split.

After several minutes of silence, Light finally spoke. "...you're insane." he said flatly, causing Ann to deflate and Ryuji and Morgana to wince. Ren showed no change in expression. "You are completely insane. You-you do realize who I am, right?"

"You're Light Yagami." Ren answered curtly. "A student from Daikoku Private Academy."

"And I'm the worst serial killer in our modern human history." Light hissed. "I have killed people thousands of times over, all for something stupid like becoming the god of a new world order. And yet here you are, asking me to join you! Are crazy!"

"Maybe." the frizzy-haired teen answered. "But our group has a few misfits."

"Again, I. _Am. A. **Killer**_. Does that mean anything to you?!"

"Nope."

The bluntness behind that one word sent Light reeling. He stared the man in front of him as if he were insane. Ryuk only laughed harder. Ren was crazy. He had to be. No one with any sense would never ask something like this! "What Ren-kun is trying to say..." Ann said, trying to clear things up for Light since he was still so confused by the sudden offer. "You have a Persona now. And Personas are a manifestation of our wills of rebellion. To never adhere to the rules society placed on us. Even though your desires were twisted, you still realized how wrong this world was, right? That means, like us, you want to change it for the better, don't you?"

"Change it...for the better...?" Light looked down at the ground. It was true. He did want to change it, but he no longer felt like he had any right to do so. Not after his despicable acts as Kira. The world was rotting, and the people who were making it rot deserved to die. That was how he thought. Now that he was no longer influenced by his own twisted desires, he couldn't help but feel disgusted by his own actions.

But, this power...

Even now, he still felt it. Deep inside him, his Persona swelled and surged, encouraging him forward. He looked up at the Phantom Thieves. The people who wielded the same power he now had. "Before I give you my decision, I need to know something." he said. "Why are you doing this? Why try to change the world?"

"Because we know what it's like to not have a place." Ryuji said firmly, eyes narrowed and jaw locked. "To be looked down on and be treated like shit. Day in day out. Me and Ann suffered because of that asshole Kamoshida. Her best friend tried to kill herself, and I ended up destroying the dreams of my friends on the track team. Yusuke here was used by his teacher and got his artwork plagarized. And RenRen got screwed over because he tried to help someone."

"Point is, we all have different reasons for becoming Phantom Thieves." Ann said. "We want to spread the name of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts. To encourage people like us, people who are treated differently by society, to stand up for themselves. To get back at the shitty adults who try to shove us and push us, every step of the way. But, we also have our own personal reasons. I became a Phantom Thief because I never want to go back to I used to be."

Ryuji nodded in agreement. "I wanna help make the Phantom Thieves big, so everyone knows who they can count on to look after their backs."

"I became a Phantom Thief to expand my horizons." Yusuke said simply. "As I told your Shadow so long ago, and what my Persona once told me, this world is filled with both beauty and vice. I want to capture both sides, the ugliness that permeates inside the human heart, and the beauty it can exhibit."

"And I want to reclaim my wonderful, true human form!" Morgana stood up, voice firm. "I'm just using these guys to accomplish my goals."

Light took all this information in, nodding his head before he turned to Ren. "And what about you, Amamiya-kun?" he asked. "Why did you become a Phantom Thief?"

Ren smiled softly. "Same reason as Ann. To give a voice to the little guy." he said with a shrug of his shoulders. Then he paused, as if pondering a bit further, before his eyes turned steely. "And to get back at the people who made my life hell. I guess that's a more personal reason."

Light stared at them for a moment. Looking at them for who they were. People who did not have a place in this rotting world. People who were fighting back to change it. To give a voice to the people who couldn't speak out for themselves. "To stand up for others..." he said to himself, closing his eyes. A smile then began to form. He never considered that. To give a voice to the people that were being oppressed. He never thought of others like that when he was Kira. He was just so self absorbed in his own methods that he never stopped to consider the lives of other people. He always just assumed that they would follow his lead and live the world he would make for them without complaint.

A foolish mistake. One that Light Yagami would not repeat.

"...for the record, you don't care about the fact that I'm a murderer?"

"To be rather honest, some of us do have reservations." Yusuke admitted, glancing at Ryuji and Morgana. "However, I feel as though you share the same problems as we do."

 _'Well, you aren't wrong there.'_ Light thought before he gave his response to Ren. "Alright, then. I'm in." Ren smirked and adjusted his glasses. Ann was beaming as she jumped in joy. Ryuji smiled and flicked his nose while Morgaa stretched, looking rather satisfied with the results. Yusuke smiled as well, nodding his head and happy that they now had a new comrade, and he would have a new reference for his painting materials. "But don't get me wrong. I'm not doing this just because it's the right thing. I've done a lot of things as Kira. Things I need to answer for. But, maybe... Maybe if I work with you guys, maybe I can work off that debt I owe. One changed heart at a time."

"Consider it a done deal." Ren said as he extended a hand. Light looked at it for a moment, then smirked and wrapped his hand around his. "Welcome to our world, comrade."

Unknown to anyone but Ren, the world suddenly froze. The sound of chains rattling before being shattered echoed in his ears before a card flickered in his mind.

 _I am **thou** , thou art I...  
_ _Thou hast acquired a new **vow**._

 _It shall **become** the wings of rebellion that **breaketh** thy chains of captivity._

 _With the birth of the Aeon Persona, I have **obtained** the winds of blessing that shall lead to **freedom** and new power..._

* * *

CHAPTER 08: The Sinner of Greed (Part 2)

* * *

Chains. A blue ceiling. A scene that Ren was accustomed to seeing now, far more than he would have liked to. Slowly, he pulled himself off the makeshift bed he was sitting on, wrestling with the bondage around his wrists as the metal began to cut into his skin. He turned his head, finding two small girls standing outside the door of his cell, standing imposingly with their golden eyes fixated on him. In the center of the room, an old man watched him with amusement, a wide grin etched into his face.

Time for another talk, he supposed.

Ren stood up, walking over to his cell door. "Ears open, inmate!" Caroline said harshly. "Our Master has something to say!"

"You would do well to heed him."

Different words, but ultimately the same meaning. However, he could understand why the twins seemed to respect Igor. Even from here, Ren could feel how much power the old man boasted. He had no doubt that if they fought, here and now, he would surely be killed.

"How unexpected..." Igor began, fingers drumming against his desk as he locked eyes with his prisoner. "You defeated the man who proclaimed himself a god, ruined his pride-filled world of justice, and now that he has obtained the spirit of rebellion, you welcome him into your ranks. Truly, you never cease to astound me. That said, even I can tell that this fellow's powers will be of a great boon to you." He held out a gloved hand. A card manifested in his palm, floating and spinning within his grasp. It was a tarot card, but unlike the others, this one had an azure blue color instead of a red one, with a parody of an Egyptian holding a staff while sitting in the sun drawn on it. At the bottom were the words, Le 'Eon. "The Aeon Arcana. A replacement for the Judgement Tarot Card. Whereas the Judgement would call for an understanding, or an acceptance or resolution, it speaks of those who attempt to understand themselves, and the world around them. A fitting Arcana, for one who proclaimed himself for a god in a world he no longer recognizes."

Ren soaked in those words. Igor was always evasive, but some of his words did have meaning. That said, however, Igor had always made him feel dreadful. Like an unpleasant feeling crawling up his back.

"Your path to rehabilitation has taken a rather impressive step forward, trickster." Igor praised him, his smile growing. "However, you should remain cautious. After all, that young man had enemies of his own, and they shall surely take notice of your actions. For now, however, let us rejoice for your victory. May the devotion to your rehabilitation grow even deeper! I have high hopes for you..."

* * *

Makoto Niijima had been wondering how to go about her plan when she saw Light, her old friend from childhood, interacting with the people she knew for certain to be Phantom Thieves. More than that, she had seen Ren, who she guessed was the leader of the whole outfit, shake hands with him.

She didn't know what happened. She could easily be letting her imagination run wild, but something just didn't feel right.

 _'I'm imagining things.'_ Makoto thought as she sat in the Student Council Room. _'I have to be. Light-kun, a Phantom Thief? That's just crazy. Not to mention idiotic.'_ She then thought back to his state a few days ago. How worn-down he seemed, so exhausted and tired. _'But, what if he...?'_

She just didn't know. She was all set to call out Ren today and have her prove the Phantom Thieves truly did believe in justice. She wanted to believe in what they preached. That they were better than Kira. That the justice they claimed to have was the one her father had. But what she saw yesterday shook her considerably. Just what was she supposed to do know? If they were wrong and she reported them, then would Light be arrested?

Was he really a Phantom Thief?

Makoto sighed deeply as she stared up at the ceiling. Lunch would be ending in a few minutes. As she took the time to try and think up something, she thought back to Light's words to her before when they last met.

 _"I believe in the justice of the Phantom Thieves. They're more righteous than Kira, after all."_

"Justice, huh...?" Makoto muttered sadly. "If only I could believe in it too..."

In the end, she chose not to confront Ren Amamiya with her recording of their conversation. She was just too cloudy in the mind. As she left school, she received a text message from Sae, saying that she would be home for dinner, but would need to leave right after. Always so busy with work. Pushing her mind away from the Phantom Thieves business, she decided to think about plans for dinner. Since Sae was coming home, and she was working on the Kaneshiro case, maybe she could lift her mood with a nice meal.

She stopped by the grocery store while she was in Shibuya to bag a few ingredients, and the promptly panicked when she ran into the last person she expected to see today. "L-Light-kun?"

"Hey, Makoto." Light greeted with a nod. Startled by his presence, she nearly dropped her bags to the floor, only for Light to catch them before they could. "Be more careful, will you? You almost lost a few tomatos."

"R-right, sorry. Busy day today." she said, quickly putting on a poker face. Admittedly a rather poor one. She wasn't expecting a meeting this quickly! What was she supposed to do. "You...seem to be doing better."

"Yeah, I...managed to get a few things off of my shoulders." he nodded with a small smile. "To be honest, I feel a lot better. I still have to settle a few things before I can really feel like my old self, though."

She had an inkling of an idea what that could be. He seemed so tired before, but now he was confident. Much like how he was when they were younger. No, in fact, his face seemed even brighter. Was this also because of what the Phantom Thieves believed in?

"Something wrong?"

Makoto quickly tried to formulate an answer. Then an idea came to mind. Would it work, though? What if she was just overthinking things? What if she was being paranoid about all of this? Deciding to take a gamble, she needed to test the waters first. "Oh, it's nothing. Say, Light. About what we talked about the other day, about the Phantom Thieves and Kira..."

"What's up?"

"The other day, you said you believed in the justice of the Phantom Thieves. Was there a particular reason for that?"

Light hummed as he pursed his lips, folding his arms. "Well, one of the more typical responses would be that they're better than Kira, since they haven't killed anyone." he said. "But one of the reasons I support them is because they stand up for the little guy."

"The little guy?" Makoto repeated, tilting her head.

"Think about who the Phantom Thieves have targeted up to this point. Kamoshida was known for abusing his students, all of whom stayed quiet and suffered the abuse, unable to tell anyone. Then there's Madarame, who plagiarized his student's artwork and was even reported to have abused his pupils. Anyone who tried to speak out against him ended up being blacklisted from the art community entirely. Their lives were utter hell, and they couldn't do a damn thing. Then the Phantom Thieves, people who had no reason to help them whatsoever, appeared and made these men confess to what they did. They stood up to people who tormented others. Compare them to Kira. All he or she's done is murder criminals because they think the world is better off without them. When you look at the two and what they've done for the people, I think it's fair to say who'd win in a case of morals."

"I see..." Makoto closed her eyes, nodding in acceptance. She had never thought about it like that. Now that she thought about it, there were other numerous, less-known cases involving the Phantom Thieves. A few of which were known at Shujin, well after Kamoshida confessed to his wrongdoings. Perhaps there was truth to what Light was saying. "Interesting."

"So, are you still investigating students at your school to see if they're really members of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts?" Light asked curiously. "Actually, why is Kobayakawa asking you to do that? Shouldn't he leave the matter to the faculty, or the police?"

At that, she sighed. She wanted to tell him that the principal was also dangling a college recommendation, but she didn't want him to get involved or angry on her behalf. Or maybe it was because she didn't want her friend to think she was shallow. "I have no idea, really." she said, settling for another route. "And Kobayakawa has been doing everything he can to limit police and media involvement. I don't think anyone knows how he ordered several members of the staff and a few students to keep quiet about the abuse. As far as anyone else knows, what Kamoshida-sensei had been doing was a recent affair."

 _'Is that so...?'_ Light thought. Inwardly, his eyes were narrowed while the gears in his head were turning. _'This Kobayakawa person obviously valued Kamoshida's past experience and status as a Olympic gold medalist, so him putting a gag order to save face makes sense, as is his decision to try and find out who the Phantom Thieves are. After all, only someone from Shujin had to know about the abuse, and that's assuming no one had tried to blow the whistle. But why have a student investigate the matter? Something about this doesn't add up...'_

He bid Makoto farewell, the girl unaware of his thoughts. And neither was he aware of what she was thinking, staring at his back as he left. She glanced at her phone, thinking about her decision. She steeled her nerves, telling her this was necessary. But Light's words had brought a new understanding. The Phantom Thieves of Hearts' motivations. She never thought about them up until this point.

She needed a little more time to think...

* * *

Wednesday was the day the Phantom Thieves would break Light into the business, or so Ryuji put it. It was after school naturally, and once more they were in Shibuya. Or to be more precise, the Metaverse's version of Shibuya.

"Weird..." Light said as he looked around. "I noticed it when I got dragged in the first time, but there's really no one else here. Given what you guys explained to me earlier, I would have thought there'd be cognitions of people running around in the city."

"That would be underground." Morgana told him. "But they're actually people's Shadows, though they're nowhere near as distorted as some of our other targets. Still, color me impressed, Light. You're quick to pick things up faster than these guys did! _Especially_ Ryuji."

The aforementioned muscle of the team felt his eyebrow twitch. "You looking to get smacked, cat?!"

"By the way, shouldn't we settle on a codename?" Ann mentioned. Light looked at her weirdly. "Oh, sorry. While we're in the Metaverse, we use codenames. I'm Panther, Ryuji's Skull, Ren's Joker, Yusuke is Fox and Morgana is Mona."

 **"Ooh, sounds neat!"** Ryuk said giddily. **"Do we get codenames too?"**

Light gave the Shinigami a light glare. "That all depends, Ryuk. You coming along with us?"

 **"Hell no! Not on your life!"**

Yusuke cocked his head. "That was a rather fierce response." he noted the fear in the death god's voice. "Why are you so intimidated?"

"Apparently, there's something in Mementos that terrifies even the Shinigami." Light informed them. "Ryuk called it Mementos' owner." The group's eyes widened at this information and looked at one another. Morgana also seemed the most shocked by this news, and looked down at the ground. This seemed to confuse Light for a moment, then remembered that they hadn't been at this job for very long. "You didn't know?"

Ren shook his head. "No, we didn't."

"So, Mementos has a controller..." Ann frowned heavily. "Since it's the Palace of everyone in Japan, could it be a Palace Ruler?"

"But if that were the case, then who could be so distorted enough to control Mementos?" Yusuke questioned.

Ryuk snorted. **"It's not a matter of who. It's _everyone_."** he said bluntly. **"Mementos is the Palace of every single human in Japan. It isn't just one person. The problem here is that the thing at the bottom of that place isn't just some congregation or crap. It's sentient and has a mind of its own. Made up from the hearts of all the humans that made it. In other words, that thing you call a Treasure. It's asleep for the most part, as far as I know, but we Shinigami don't dare enter its domain. The Metaverse is just a world within its reach. Mementos is its own backyard, and we aren't stupid enough to get close."**

"I see..." Morgana whispered. "So, the rulers of the Palace isn't so much the populace, but rather their own Treasure."

"Is-is that even possible...?" Ann asked, startled and amazed. "And that's what we'll find at the bottom?"

"It could be." Morgana conceded. "But for now, let's focus on a codename for Light."

Light folded his arms. "Nothing too ridiculous, please." A second later, and his eyes narrowed. "And the first person who says _Kira_ , I will punch in the face."

"Scratch that off the list, then." Ren said jokingly.

"Hm... How about Ace?" Ann suggested. "Since you're some kind of honor student?"

Light pursed his lips. "A little generic. Next?"

"Avenger?" Ryuji offered next. "How about Jester?"

"...are you trying to piss me off?"

 **"I think the last one would be funny."** Ryuk offered his two cents.

Light shot a glare at Ryuk, making the Shinigami as he waved his hands in defense. Ren pursed his lips, trying to think up a name for Light. He thought back to his costume, remembering the gaslight appeal it had. After a moment of debate, he decided on a name. "How about Noble?"

"You mean, based on his clothes from before?" Morgana recalled. "Hm, I suppose that works. What do you think?"

"Noble, hm?" Light cupped his chin. "It doesn't feel right, but... It's certainly better than the other suggestions. Alright, I guess I'll be Noble from here on."

"Great!" Morgana smiled. "In that case, let's get you broken in on the Metaverse!"

* * *

Once they entered the subway, their clothes had changed in a sudden burst of blue fire. Light nearly jumped in surprise when he saw it happen for himself, though he had to admit, the details behind his Metaverse Rebel attire were quite intriguing.

Going along with their job to teach him how to fight properly, as well as get him used to combat with Shadows, the Phantom Thieves had accepted a request. The details were simple: the leader of a group of burglars had been abusing his younger sibling, who in turn had requested the Phantom Thieves assistance. Apparently, the beatings were done purely out of stress from working as a burglar. Even so, it wasn't something that could be forgiven, hence why they accepted the request. Their target's name was Kazuya Makigami.

Morgana, much to Noble's surprise, had transformed into a cat bus of some kind. He was still in a daze the first time he had witnessed it happen, so he witnessed it properly and was stunned.

"The wonders never cease..." Noble muttered under his breath as he lounged in the backseat of the Monamobile, or so Joker affectionately called it. "Still, I have to wonder. Can Mona actually feel what happens inside of the car when he's like this?"

"Yes, I can!" Morgana's voice chirped from the radio. "That also includes whenever you start kicking! Try to be more gentle than Skull, please!"

Skull frowned at that. "Hey, I said I was sorry! Besides, we had to haul ass when that weird-ass thing showed up!"

"Weird what?"

"There's a powerful Shadow called The Reaper that roams Mementos." Fox explained to him from the passenger seat up front. "It's very strong. It would be suicide if we attempted to confront it, though thankfully, it only seems to show up if we stay on a single floor for too long."

"I see." Noble nodded. "I have a question, if you don't mind me asking. How exactly does stealing a person's heart differ between Mementos and a Palace?"

"Since Mementos is the Palace of the general public, and they're semi-aware of the Phantom Thieves and what we do, a calling card isn't necessary." Panther filled him in. "Plus, it also helps they aren't so twisted enough yet that they don't have to form a Palace, like Kamoshida."

Noble folded his arms and lowered his head, deep in thought. "So, if we don't nip them in the bud or let them go for a long period of time, then there's a chance they'll eventually develop a Palace?" he asked, receiving a nod in response. "Interesting. The more I learn about this Metaverse stuff, the more questions I have."

"Well, at least you learn faster than Skull." Joker quipped at his friend's expense, smiling all the while. The aforementioned thief in the car balked at this, staring at Joker in betrayal before scowling and trying to smack him. The frizzy-haired teen evaded it with ease and swerved to bend around a corner. "By the way, Noble, time for your first lesson!"

Noble only had a few moments to realize what he meant before he braced himself as Joker rammed the Monamobile into one of those large Shadows he had seen during his first visit here. It was knocked down to the ground, and then promptly exploded into black spews that formed into solid shapes. A little woman wearing a blue leotard with red hair and fairy wings, a red dog with scales instead of fur with a spiked collar and even a behemoth made entirely of stone all formed from the gunk. From the way they immediately settled into a combative stance, killing intent flooding the tunnels, Noble immediately knew they had a fight on their hands.

Morgana had quickly shifted out and the thieves were on their feet, weapons out. Joker had given him a knife until he could procure better equipment for him, along with a model gun. According to Morgana, due to the cognitive rules of the Metaverse, even a model gun could be recognized as a real one. Meaning it could also shoot real bullets, much to his pleasure.

"Noble, Mona, you two are with me." Joker ordered. He was still smirking, but his eyes were wary. He did not recognize two of the three Shadows before him. "The rest of you, provide back up in case things go south."

The three behind them nodded. Noble gripped his knife tightly and sucked in a breath. He had taken martial arts class, but he never would have thought he'd use those lessons in a situation like this. Would it even be useful? These weren't human beings, but monsters. All based on mythology and folklore, if what he heard was right. From inside his heart, he felt Count resonating through his body. It was itching for battle. Opening his eyes and steeling his resolve, Noble stood by Joker's side and assumed a stance.

"One's a Pixie, but the other two Shadows I don't recognize." Morgana informed. "Be on guard!"

Noble nodded. Joker was the first to strike, Arsene dancing to his side and easily dispatching the Pixie with a single strike. It was practically cleaved in half and reduced to black matter that splattered across the rails. Then the red dog struck, snarling as it leaped into the air. Fire spewed from its mouth, aiming right for Joker. He backflipped and evaded it with ease before he shot at it with his gun. The dog easily evaded each shot before it switched targets, going for Morgana.

The not cat smirked and jumped to avoid its charge, then struck with his slingshot. The metal ball pierced into its hind leg, causing it to stumble. Before it could get up, Zorro unleashed a flurry of ferocious wind upon it, cutting into its scaly hide. To his dismay, however, only scratched appeared. "It's strong against Wind! Great!" Morgana whined as the dog got up, proceeding to fire another blast of flame his way.

While Morgana fought with the dog, the rocky behemoth turned its attention to Noble and Joker. The former braced himself for battle. He had done this before, when he helped the Phantom Thieves fight against Takanashi's Shadow. He just needed to remember the feeling. Despite its form and body, the giant was rather agile as it moved, aiming to turn Noble into paste. Sapphire fire flickered from within his line of sight, his mask now covered in flames. "Count!" Light called for his Persona.

The Count of Monte Cristo answered, blocking the strike with its broadsword. The ground shook beneath the clash. With glowing eyes narrowed in chilling rage, it shoved the stone golem away and dug its boots into the ground. Promptly, it countered with a mighty swing. The serrated blade carved a chunk into the Shadow, slicing off a fair amount of its body. It staggered back, but then retaliated with a powerful swing of its arm. Joker's own Persona defended his ally, grabbing hold of the arm and throwing it into the air. "Noble, now!"

Light nodded. Count stabbed its sword into the ground and tipped its hat as spheres of light danced around it. In the next second, they shot straight at the stone golem and exploded, breaking off chunks of its body in the process. As it came flying down, Arsene delivered the coup de grace and thrusted its claws forward, piercing into its body and then, with a swift tug, tore it in two.

"A bit gruesome, don't you think?" Noble asked, though no more less impressed. Joker shrugged, finding it the most effective method. The remains of the Shadow soon melted into the same black goop as before. They turned their attention to Morgana, who was busy playing a game of cat and dog. Quite literally in this case, as Morgana evaded each attempt the Shadow made to bite his head off.

It lunged and went in to bite Morgana's tiny leg, but was forced down when Mona instead used it as a spring board, taking high into the air and hitting the ceiling. He then bounced off and swung his blade, creating a swift slash that came right down upon the Shadow. It howled and backpedaled, but managed to get one last shot in by blasting a fireball at him. Zorro recoiled from the blast, but it powered through the pain and retaliated with another blast of wind. Rather than an attempt to kill it, Morgana chose to stun it and go in for another slash. As the Shadow was struck by the wind and recoiled from the blow, however ineffective it was, Morgana was like a blur, and with a swing, severed its head from its shoulders.

"Mission complete." Morgana smirked as the Shadow went slack and fell to the ground, fading away soon after. "That was rather easy."

"Let's hope Makigami will be that easy." Fox said before he turned to Noble. "I must say, your Persona's appearance is quite breath-taking."

Noble blinked at that. That was honestly what he was expecting to hear. "I...beg your pardon?"

"Forgive him." Panther giggled. "He's kind of an art nut. Still, I do have to agree. It's kind of spiffy looking. It's called Count, right?"

Skull cocked his head. "The heck is it referring to? I mean, our Personas are based on people from literature or history, right?"

"Close." Morgana corrected the blonde delinquent. "Personas are shaped by human thoughts, but their appearance is determined by what people perceive them. This ranges from not just literature, but also myths, history, folklore and even religion."

Noble hummed in understanding. So based on what he saw, that was how people saw whatever those Shadows were and the Pixie. He drifted back to the others' Personas. Arsene Lupin looked quite fearsome, enough so that it looked like a demon. Or more accurately, a noble demon with a rather impressive look to him. Carmen was certainly provocative, giving off the feeling of a femme fatale that promised misfortune for any who crossed her. From what little he knew about Skull, Captain Kidd's appearance suited him rather well, free spirited and recklessness, charging forward with little fear of what was ahead. Goemon's appearance was also quite telling of what Fox was like. As for Zorro, though... Well, he just chalked it up to Morgana's desire and insistence that he was human. Count's appearance was a little confusing to him. It looked like a noble, but it seemed like a demon as well, what with the boiling anger that seemed to seep through its presence.

"If I were to make a guess, though, I'd say my Persona is based on Edmond Dantes." Noble assumed.

Skull scrunched his brow. "Who's that?"

"The Count of Monte Cristo, right?" Joker asked, earning a nod. "Alexandre Dumas' work is considered to be the greatest revenge story ever told. Long story short, it's about a sailor who was betrayed by his close friend when he was asked by Napoleon Bonaparte to deliver a letter to a comrade of his. He was then carted off to prison and stayed there for 14 years before he managed to escape. When he sought out his fiance, he learned she had married the same person who betrayed him and plotted his revenge, using the wealth he amassed shortly after he escaped the prison."

"The's the gist of it." Noble nodded. "To be honest, I'm surprised you knew that."

Skull chuckled. "Joker's a big book nerd. He even read all the books that involved our Personas." he informed. Joker, for his part, seemed a little embarrassed. "Speaking about books, what was that whole Fiend with Twenty Faces thing with Akechi back at the studio?"

"We can talk about that later." Morgana cut in. "We still have to take Makigami's heart and stop his abuse. While we're at it, we should try and see if we can reach the deepest level. We did receive a notification saying that Mementos expanded again!"

Joker nodded. Morgana then transformed back into the Monamobile, and everyone hopped on inside.

* * *

Back in the real world, the Japanese Task Force was still under way with their investigation. Ide and Ukita had returned to the department, in the event something happened over there and they would relay information. Thus, only Soichiro, Matsuda, Aizawa and Mogi were present. L himself was in the hotel room as well, working at his computer while Watari was busy making a strawberry cake. L's current craving, for whatever reason. The task force was still stunned by how young L was, as well as his rather odd quirks, but they couldn't deny the intelligence he boasted. And he was not spouting mere hot air either.

"It's been over a week now..." Matsuda said over on his end, looking through various forums and other sites, the prominent being the Phan-Site that came to their attention not too long ago. "And there are still no new reports about criminals dying of heart attacks. I think it's safe to assume that Kira's...really out of the game now."

Aizawa paused briefly. "And...what about Light?" he asked carefully, glancing at the chief, who was working with Mogi. They were currently going through surveilence cameras, which had been planted by L and the man himself inside the former's home. Mostly inside his son's room, however. He had no idea how hard it must have been for the man to make this decision. While he didn't know Light as well as Matsuda did, seeing as how the guy had helped the Yagami family out whenever Soichiro himself wasn't there to handle matters for whatever reason, he did respect Light's capabilities and knew how smart he was. He sincerely hoped he would make detective, and that all of this speculation that he might be Kira was all nothing but that. "Any change on him?"

"Aside from the fact that he's gone under another 180, he's perfectly fine." Mogi informed them. "Actually, all we've seen him do has been nothing more than watching the tube and helping his kid sis." He gave another skeptical look at L. "You positive he's really Kira?"

"The odds are fairly low, but out of all the suspects we have right now, he is the most likely." L replied without missing a beat. "That aside, you all may want to see this." The task force immediately dropped what they were doing. They gathered around the table while L turned his computer around, showing them the screen. Watari then arrived to the table as well, delivering the freshly baked cake to his charge. "This is a recently published statistic, showing the crime rate here in Japan, one month into Kira's murder spree."

"Crime rate practically dropped down to a meager ." Mogi grimaced. "I knew what Kira was doing had some serious effect, but I didn't realize it was that bad."

The detective nodded. "Indeed." he then turned the computer back around, typing in a few keys before turning it back to the task force, showing a new screen. "And this is an estimate of the current crime rate, from as early as yesterday."

Aizawa read it, eyes narrowed before a scowl settled. "...it's gone back up by ." he said. The other officers could only read what was written. "They're starting to notice that Kira's not killing them anymore. And if I'm reading this right, they're acting a hell of a lot more boldly."

"The most prominent source seems to be kidnappings and extortions." L continued. "Actually, a well-known mob group that operates in Shibuya has been attempting to expand in the other wards. Mostly areas like Shinjuku or Roppongi."

"Extortionists, huh...?" Matsuda muttered. Then his eyes widened as he looked up. "Do you mean Kaneshiro?!"

At the mention of the name, Soichiro's eyes darkened. His hands tightened into fists, trembling with untold anger. L noticed this and remembered what he read on Raye Penber's report of the Yagami family. More specifically, on what he read on Soichiro Yagami, prior to his days before becoming a Police Chief. The man was partnered with one Masahiro Yagami, who's eldest daughter was now a successful prosecutor with the SIU. If he recalled correctly, they were assigned to a case involving a small burglary ring that had begun to expand, far beyond anything they had seen.

"I believe so." L nodded. "Up until now, he's been remarkably quiet in his actions. Now that people are becoming aware of the Phantom Thieves, and that Kira has been inactive, I believe they're assuming Kira has either retreated out of fear of being targeted by the Phantom Thieves, or that he has undergone a change of heart. In either case, with their biggest threat out of the way, they've begun crawling out from their holes. And now, they feel more emboldened."

Aizawa's lips thinned. "Guess that's what happens when someone who kills criminals by the dead goes missing." he said bitterly. Then a thought occurred to him. "Wait, do you think it's possible that the Phantom Thieves might target Kaneshiro next?"

"Of that, I have no doubt." L said, a small grin touching on his face. "Most of Kaneshiro's income has been the student body in schools near Shibuya. Among them happens to be Shujin Academy."

Soichiro narrowed his eyes. "So, you believe the Phantom Thieves of Hearts are students from Shujin Academy?" he asked. L nodded. The man then rubbed his chin, looking up thoughtfully. "I suppose it would make sense. Kamoshida was their first known target, and unlike Madarame, he wasn't high profile. It's even likely they were victims of his abuse as well."

"I've already asked someone from the Aoyama-Itchome prefecture to look into potential suspects. I should have results back by the end of the week. For now, let's focus on the task at hand. Back to work, people."

* * *

"Noble, on your left!"

The brunette dodged with ease, evading Oni's heavy attack. With a smirk, he called on Count and the Persona struck with fierceness, blade slamming straight into the Shadow's gut and throwing it aside. It flopped about as it hit the ground, but stopped its retreat as it dug its claws into the ground. It looked up and then promptly found it struck by Captain Kidd as it made a pass at it, hitting its shoulder its shoulder before it swerved around and aimed its cannon, firing a bolt of thunder that struck it in the back.

"Aaand he's open!" Skull grinned, exchanging a high-five with Ann. "All you!"

Panther grinned wickedly as she did a little spin. Carmen emerged beside her with a smirk of her own and promptly incinerated the Shadow, reducing it to mere cinders. Once the smoke settled, all that was left was Makigami's Shadow and one of his other flunkies, a mere Onmoraki. Of course, even that Shadow soon found its live short-lived as Fox struck swiftly with his katana, movements enhanced by a Sukukaja. He then followed up with Goemon, who encased the Shadow in ice and then shattered it to pieces, which glittered in the dim light.

"And then, there was one." Fox smiled as he cast his gaze to the sole remaining Shadow in the viscinity. Compared to the two weaklings, it radiated power. Makigami's Shadow took on the form of a rather handsome male figure with pale white skin and golden hair, a vajra held in hand while the rest of its body was seemingly hidden inside a black rock that floated in the air. "I believe it would be wise to give up now. Unless, of course, you wish to continue this course of action."

 **"Go to hell!"** Makigami's Shadow snarled as it raised its vajra, gathering power into it. **"I've already come too far to be stopped by the likes of you pieces of shit! Now that Kira's gone, I can finally do whatever the hell I want!"**

Noble's lips tugged upward. "You sure about that?" he challenged, fully aware of the irony the Shadow was so painfully unaware of. As it launched its attack, a spiraling blast of ice, Count and Goemon countered. While the former lacked the natural resistance to the cold elemental attack, it held its ground rather nicely. Morgana and Panther moved to either side of the Shadow, their Personas already at their side. The latter struck first by opening fire with her sub machine gun, firing bullets as fast as she possibly could to garner its attention. Distracted, the Shadow turned its attention to her, then found itself being struck by Zorro when it turned its back.

Noble followed up with Count, who took to the air and brought down its sword. Makigaki's Shadow, Mitras, defended with its vajra, but struggled beneath the physical strength. It eventually forced Count off, but the two locked blows again. A third clash came, but this time the Persona won by knocking the Shadow off balance, then following up with a Makouha. The balls of light exploded in its face, causing it to stumble back, body scorched. It growled and retaliated by lunging forward, releasing a blistering heat in Count's face. Instantly, Noble felt the damage transfer to him, cringing in pain as he felt his face burn with pain.

Arsene came to his aid, kicking Mitras off of Count and allowing it to return to Noble's side as his mask. "Persona change!" Joker's mask flickered as his Persona once again changed shape. Now in Arsene's place stood a white-haired automation of some sort, wielding a deep red harp with bat wings. "Orpheus Picaro!" The Persona twirled and strummed its harp, releasing giant fireballs that were launched Mitras' way. It narrowed its eyes and bounced, reaching up to the ceiling and grabbing hold of one of the many twisted pieces of metal stuck there. Orpheus Picaro launched another volley, and Mitras evaded once again, yanking the metal bit out as it hit the ground. It then charged, aiming directly for the Persona.

Goemon blocked its advance, standing in its way and knocking the metal bit out of its grasp with its bladed pipe. With an impressive kick that would make a Spartan proud, the Persona proceeded to call forth spears of ice that shot straight at the Shadow. One icicle missed, but the rest hit their mark. One of them even pinned Mitras' hand to the ground. "Now, Skull!" Fox called. The blonde delinquent nodded and rushed forward, exchanging high-fives and performing a Baton Pass before Captain Kidd danced beside him, letting loose a volley of thunder bolts.

Smoke and debris kicked up into the air. As the group gathered around, preparing themselves for another attack, the smoke began to settle. Mitras was revealed to be back up, albeit battered and damaged. Black fluids leaked down the side of its face, beautiful face marred by rage and annoyance. **"You-you pieces of shit...!"** Makigami's Shadow snarled. **"How dare you...get in my way?! I won't let you interfere with me anymore... I'm special, y-hear?! I'm a better thief than you could possibly be!"**

"Then why are you losing?" Joker shot back with a smirk as Orpheus Picaro threw itself into the fray, slamming its harp into Mitras' face. It was stunned, and it served to be the blow that brought it down to its knees. Yet it soon resisted, getting back up feebly. With a growl, it launched its own barrage of icicles. Carmen burned them all down before they could even reach the group. Joker then turned to Noble and held up a hand. "Your turn, amigo~"

Light nodded, and the Baton Pass was done. Power started to swell as Count appeared beside him, tipping its hat and angling a harsh glare. "Send 'em to hell!" he roared. Realizing what Noble was about to do, and in a panic, Mitras attempted one last attack and launched a powerful gust of wind right at him. Count took up its serrated broadsword and swung, demolishing the wind with a single, swift cut before it charged forward. It stopped short, then swung. The blade dragged across its chest, creating a guyser of black fluids. Mitras screamed in pain, then fell to the ground, holding itself up barely on its elbows. "It's down! Joker, your orders?"

"We finish this." Joker said with an evil glint in his eyes. "Everyone, we're going All Out!"

Noble didn't know what happened. One moment, he was readying an attack, and the next his body moved on its own. It moved faster than he thought possible, his body becoming a blur and dancing with the other thieves, striking at the Shadow at every possible angle. When they landed back on the ground, he ran a hand through his hair, giving the Shadow a look of contempt before he turned his back to it.

 _ **"Remove yourself from my sight, criminal."**_

Makigami's Shadow spasmed, then it erupted into a fountain of black blood.

* * *

Light's face fell into his hands, remembering the moment vividly. "That was so damn embarrassing..."

"I thought it was pretty cool." Ryuji commented with a smirk. "Plus, we're not exactly any better. Hell, you should ask Ann what she does when she gets the chance to take 'em down~"

"Like you're any better!" Ann huffed as she folded her arms, giving her friend the stink eye. "You try and act all cool, but every time you do it, you end up face-first on the floor!"

Kazuya Makigami had undergone the change of heart. Light had to admit, seeing it first hand was something. It was as if they had beaten the evil out of him, as compared to when they encountered him, he was a somber, nearly sniffling mess that couldn't believe what he had done to his little brother. Light still felt like he deserved to get beaten some more, if only because he was an older brother himself. And it was an older brother's job to protect their siblings, not torment their lives! Still, the request was complete. As a reward for their troubles, they had received a key, which apparently opened a drawer to something in Kazuya's room. At Ren's suggestion, Morgana had delivered the key to the Makigami residence to hand it over to Naoya, who would have the final say in what happened to it.

"So, what happens to Makigami now?" Light asked. "Considering he was a burglar, he'll be arrested if he comes clean, right?"

Yusuke nodded. "I would assume so, yes. But since his crimes were relatively minor, he should be released within a few years. Regardless, I believe he has learned his lesson, unless he undergoes this regression that you went through."

 **"Wish I could've seen it."** Ryuk complained, feeling like he had missed something very interesting.

Ren gave the Shinigami a wry smile. "Then come with us next time."

 **"And risk _that_ thing finding me? Sorry, but no thanks."** Ryuk said with zero hesitation. As the group discussed Light's performance, the Shinigami noticed someone standing off in the distance. Irises shrinking, he saw that it was a human girl. More than that, it was that girl Light was apparently friends with before he encountered him. _'Heh. Trade one stalker for another, huh?'_ Ryuk thought with amusement. _'Should I tell Light? I mean, it'll be annoying if she decides to follow him around, and I don't like it when someone does that. Sure, they can't see me, but it feels freaking creepy.'_ He gave it a moment of thought, then chuckled. _'Nah, I'll let Light and the others figure it out for themselves. It should be more fun that way anyhow!'_

* * *

Light, as it turned out, wouldn't have to wait long. It was already evening when he returned home. To his surprise, however, he found Makoto waiting outside his house. "Makoto?" he called, catching the girl's attention. She pushed herself off the wall, her face looking oddly torn. "What are you doing here? Not that I'm complaining or anything. How long have you been waiting outside my house?"

"A while." Makoto told him.

"Did you want to come inside? I can make you some tea. I'm pretty sure Sayu would be happy to see you too."

The red-eyed girl smiled at that. "I'm sure she would. But I'm not here on a social call, Light-kun." The brunette frowned at that. Makoto then bit her lip, cursing her hesitation. She had come this far. She couldn't freeze up now. Besides, compared to what she had in mind earlier, this was hardly the worst thing she came up with. "Light-kun..."

"Yes?"

"Answer me truthfully. Are you a member of the Phantom Thieves?"

Light blinked. And Ryuk ended up laughing. It seemed to be common theme these days. "...what?"

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**

* * *

 _"For murderers, there is no good or evil. I know that." -Light Yagami_

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE** : My first update of the New Year! Yahoo~

Anyway, this chapter was mostly devoted to Light interacting with the Thieves some more, learning about his Persona and whatnot, and setting up the stage for the Kamoshida Arc. I've been taking some inspiration from another Persona 5 crossover lately, that being Vanishing Act. You can find that story over on the Spacebattle Forums. It's a very delightful read.

By the way, did anyone else see the announcement for Persona 5 R? To be honest, I was kind of hoping for more than just an announcement date, but I guess it makes sense. It seems like an info dump. I'm just hoping its going to be a FES or Golden game. Especially with some of the content that was left out of the game, like Sae being romanced or Akechi being a permanent party member with his Confidant reworked so it is optional. I read online that they were originally going to make his Confidant so that you could choose options that would better enhance your relationships when engaging in other Confidants, but was scrapped. I really hope that add that.

Especially if it means I can save our pancake boy. What? I'm a Goro fan, so sue me. That boi needs a hug. But what do you guys think about the P5R announcements? Let me know in the comments or in a PM.

Also, the new cover art was done by me, hence why it looks so bad. I used 3D paint and did some copy and pasting. It will evolve as time goes on, but it was the best I could do, since Light is now an official Phantom Thieves member.

* * *

 **REVIEWS**

Boyzilla: It brings thee closer to the truth. Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Aeon Arcana. Or so the usual Persona spiel would go. To be honest, I rather liked the format they had in the previous games. Actually, quick question: how do you think Hakuno would fair in a Persona story?

crawforddarius7: I do have a Kamen Rider crossover in mind, but please write these sorts of things in a PM, not in the review section.

SkiesEagle: IHonestly, Light is an interesting character. Plus, I'm trying to write him how the author did when he made that Batman Gambit during the events of the Yotsuba Group arc. Am I doing a good job on that? Please let me know. Also, it wouldn't matter if Light refused to join or not. L would have taken an interest in them eventually. After all, they took out Kira first. And as L himself has stated, he hates to lose.

Movieboy66: You won't be seeing Misa for a while, but when she does appear... Yeah, let's just say it isn't going to be pretty. And let's not even discuss Mikami, shall we?

ShinKyu: Up until this point, he was playing the role of the perfect honor student because that's how society wanted him to be. The kind of person Light needed to be if he was going to fulfill his dream. When he killed someone, it broke everything he thought was right and tried to rationalize what happened, and as we all know now, that led to him becoming Kira. Now that those thoughts are out of the way, and that his previous aesthetics are no longer valid, he simply no longer cares what society thinks of him anymore. After all, he himself knows he is no longer perfect. He is a killer. And you are right about that, especially as we go through his Confidant.


	9. The Sinner of Greed (Part 3)

_"There are many types of monsters that scare me: Monsters who cause trouble without showing themselves, monsters who abduct children, monsters who devour dreams, monsters who suck blood... and then, monsters who tell nothing but lies." -L Lawliet, "Death Note"_

* * *

 **WARNING LETTER**

* * *

The conversation had been...interesting, to say the least. In all honesty, Light had never thought he'd be having this talk. At least, not for a very long time. He had been thinking of ways this talk could happen, but he never once believed it would be because of Makoto, who had outright asked him outside his own house. And he couldn't exactly deny her, either.

They really needed to have a talk with Ryuji, if he was going to be that loud. Since his house was compromised, with cameras and likely even wiretaps, they decided to take the conversation to a nearby cafe and ordered them both coffee. **"What? None for me?"** Ryuk asked, feeling left out. Light shot him a small glance, with a face that more or less asked, can you even drink coffee? **"Hey, I eat apples. What makes you think I wouldn't be able to drink stuff?"** He sighed and ignored the Shinigami, much to his disappointment.

"Here." Light gave her one of the cups. Makoto accepted it with a nod. He then sat down on the seat opposite to her, sighing again as he ran a hand through his hair. "You know, if you're going to force a guy into a corner like that, you should at least make sure they're someplace private and not out in public. Last thing I need is for my father to get involved."

"I understand." Makoto nodded, feeling a little guilty for having pushed him into this. "I'm sorry. To be honest, I was trying to find some other way to ask you that, but my mouth worked over my brain." She then took a quick drink from the cup. Bitter, but a rich taste. Already, she felt some tension ease from her shoulders. "Still, one of the best honor students in the whole country is a Phantom Thief... It takes all kinds, it seems."

"So, what are you going to do?" Light asked calmly. The fact that Makoto hadn't taken this information to the police meant she must have had something in mind. "You haven't given that to the police or informed Kobayakawa, so I assume there's a reason why you'd confront me with all of this."

"My original plan was to confront Amamiya, since my best guess is that he's the ringleader of the whole outfit." she guessed. Light had to admit, he was impressed by how good she was. Just how long had she been investigating the Shujin students. "But, that plan went out the window when I saw you with them a few days ago. At first, I thought I was just overreacting and paranoid."

He smiled sadly. "Hate to burst your bubble, then."

"Yeah..." She hanged her head low. She dearly wanted to ask her old friend what could have driven him to this. What would have made him join their ranks when he wanted to become a police officer like his father. But for now, she would wait another time to ask those questions. "Back to the main point, as you said earlier. I want the Phantom Thieves of Hearts to prove their justice to me."

Light leaned forward. **"Oho?"** Ryuk flew over, his grin expanding. **"This should be fun to hear!"**

"How do you mean?"

"A few days ago, several students from my school came and told me how their friends were being extorted, all after they accepted some kind of well-paying part-time job." Makoto told him the specifics. "And it isn't just from Shujin. From what I've been hearing online, there have been students from other schools suffering the same thing, from Shinjuku to even Roppongi. Some say they've even started going for people in Akihabara."

'This sounds like someone the Phantom Thieves should target.' Light thought. Of course, he did remember the rules the group discussed. The most important being that it had to be a unanimous decision. Even so, this was good information to have. Actually, now that Makoto had mentioned it to him, this sounded very familiar to him. Maybe his father had discussed a case like this sometime before? "Any who idea who it could be?"

Makoto shook her head. "No. Just what the guys who extort the students call themselves."

* * *

CHAPTER 09: The Sinner of Greed (Part 3)

* * *

"The mafia?!"

Ann kicked Ryuji in the shin, causing him to yelp and cradle his leg. "Pipe down, will you?!" she hissed at him angrily. "Dammit, we really need to work on that loud mouth of yours!"

"W-well, how was I supposed to know?!"

"Maybe you could not talk about Phantom Thieves business in a densely populated area?" Light offered. The Phantom Thieves were currently sitting in a nearby cafe over in Central Street. Morgana was lounging in the back, careful not to be seen by the other patrons or staff members. "It is rather idiotic. It's like you're asking to get caught." For their part, Ann and Ryuji looked away, embarassed and ashamed. Light sighed and shook his head. Either way, what's done was done, and they had to deal with the mess on their hands. "Anyway, that's what Makoto said they refer to themselves as. I looked it up online, and she was right. Students from all over Japan are being extorted. And the worst part was that this all started just a few days ago. It's been less than a week."

Yusuke frowned, holding a hand to his chin as he dipped his head in thought. "From what you all told me, Akechi said crime rates had been an all-time low ever since Kira appeared." he remembered the conversation. Though he was not present for it when it happened at the time. "Could this be because Kira has not killed anyone in over a week?"

"It's possible." Morgana chirped. "Since Kira was killing criminals left and right, they didn't dare to try and do anything. But now that he's gone, they're starting to notice."

"And get bolder." Light spat. "Apparently, whoever's running this extortion ring has been at this for a while, but they always operated mainly in Shibuya. Now they're trying to extend their reach to other parts of Japan."

"And they're targeting students..." Ren said, adjusting his glasses. "Do we know who's leading this operation?"

The brunette sighed and shook his head. "No. Makoto doesn't know who's leading it. But I've heard about this sort of thing before. Maybe my dad has a case file on it."

"Oh, right. I totally forgot your dad was the police chief!" Ann recalled. "Yeah, he might know more about this than we do. Oh, but wait, will you be okay?"

Light smiled. "Trust me, I'll be fine."

" **Provided you don't tip off L or the other officers watching you like peeping toms."** Ryuk mentioned, causing the others to look at Light in alarm. Light scowled and glared at the Shinigami, who in turn laughed. **"Oh, he didn't tell you? Daddy dearest bugged the whole house with wiretaps and cameras. Light can't even read any porn without his pop's noticing."**

"And you can't eat any apples in the house, either." Light shot back. "And besides, I don't have much to hide outside of keeping up the ruse of a normal student."

"Still, you're being investigated?" Yusuke voiced his concerns. "Does your father suspect you?"

"He's been coming home a little more frequently." he answered. "Plus, I wouldn't doubt it. Raye Penber was investigating me. I doubt he found something, but L is… He's on a whole other level. The cases he's worked on in the past are public knowledge. I've studied each one of them for when I take the police academy's exam, and even I can't understand how they all worked. At best, he's looking for someone who has access to police information, so the best guesses as to who could be Kira, or at the very least feeding him info, is myself or someone else related to a member on the task force. Might even be Commissioner Kitamura's own family as well."

Ren glanced around the cafe. He saw no one suspicious, but hearing Light being on surveilence made him paranoid. "This might be troublesome..." Morgana frowned. "Ren's already in enough trouble as it is." Light tilted his head. "Since you're a member of this group, you should know. Ren's on probation."

"Probation?!" Light said, shocked. He looked at Ren more closely, but he couldn't see how exactly someone like this could have warranted it. Granted, his Persona was quite brutal in its executions, but personality wise… "H-how?"

Ryuji scowled. "He tried to save some chick from being harassed by some drunk asshole, and when the dumbass tripped and bust his open, he blamed Ren for the whole thing. Worse, the chick just told the police he did it too when the asshole threatened her."

Light scowled. "That's despicable!"

"Tell me about it." Ann frowned. "Seriously, Ren. When you remember who this guy is, we are _so_ taking his heart."

Ren nodded gratefully. He was really lucky to have friends like this. Even so, he doubted that he'd run into that man again anytime soon. Besides, he could barely remember what the bastard looked. He wasn't even sure If his name was mentioned.

Regardless, he felt bad for Light. It must be difficult for him, being under heavy surveillance. Even he wasn't sure how this was all going to play out. More importantly, how were things going to play out this time? They had a new target, but they didn't know who they were this time. Just who was behind the extortion ring?

Ren felt a sense of excitement swell in him. Things would be interesting.

* * *

Once everything was settled, the Phantom Thieves had decided to investigate. Light would attempt to access old police files, mostly under the guise of studying past cases in preparation for the police academy exam. Meanwhile, the Shujin students would work with Makoto, who would provide then the names of everyone she knew who was being extorted, or people who were under suspicion of being extorted. Yusuke, in the meantime, was tasked with looking online for any and all clues that might lead to who was behind the extortion ring.

On Light's end, gaining access to the police records was actually quite easy. As a matter of fact, the one who brought him the cases files was Matsuda, who was at the police station out on stand-by as per L's orders. It was the young detective's turn. Aizawa was also there, but he was out on a coffee run.

"You really are studious, huh?" Matsuda joked as he watched Light comb through the files. "To be honest, I wasn't expecting you to be asking for files way back when your dad was a detective himself."

"Well, dad always said he worked on some amazing cases when he became a detective way back when, so I got curious." Light said, smiling as he flipped to the next page. It was a case from well over two decades ago. A few years before he was even born. It wasn't a case his father was working on, but in order to fool L, he needed to pretend he was starting from the oldest cases and then from the newer ones. "By the way, where's dad and the others?"

"Working." Matsuda told him. As he expected. "We're working with someone that L recommended to us. He's quite impressive, actually."

"Hm, anyone I might know on television?"

"Not your classmate, that's for sure." the mumbling officer replied with a chuckle. "His name is Ryuzaki. I think you two would get along, if you ever met that is."

Matsuda shortly went back to his own routine as Light moved on. He eventually finished up the older case files and moved on to the ones that had his interest. However, he soon paused when he looked at the case file in his hands. _'This one is way back when I was in Elementary school.'_ he thought, looking at the date. _'It's one of dad's cases. Must not have been filed away properly. This is also back when he was working with Masahiro-san, too.'_ His heart ached, remembering the loss of Masahiro Niijima.

As it just so happened, a picture of Makoto's father was hanging on the wall in the room they were currently in. Masahiro was a man who looked like the spitting image of a detective, with a thin-trimmed beard along his jaw that stopped short of reaching his sides, neatly combed hair and sharp eyes with gaunt cheeks and a thin smile. At his side was a young Sae Niijima, Makoto's older sister, who had short silver hair and dark red eyes, clinging to her father's leg.

' _I still can't believe he died because of a drunk driver of all people.'_ Light thought sadly as he shook his head. _'The man that killed him was also released from prison a few years ago as well, having served his sentence.'_

Sighing, he looked at the case file. Immediately, his eyes became glued to the pages and read with apt attention.

 **September 23rd, 2002 – A string of burglaries have been committed all across the Shibuya area. Nothing of particular noteworthy value was stolen, except important documents. Business transaction deals, legal bonds, etc. Masahiro-san and myself have been assigned to the case, and already my partner has a suspect. A con man by the name of Junya Kaneshiro.**

 **September 30th, 2002 – The progress of the investigation is going well. It's been over a week, but Masahiro-san and I managed to get some intel. Turns out the places that were hit had some shady history going on. They were small-time businesses, and they were just starting out, so they were ripe for the picking. Apparently, Kaneshiro came under the guise of being a promising financial backer to help get the businesses along, only to sometime later steal documents that revealed their under-the-table dealings to get into the game in the first place. Blackmail. One of the oldest tricks in the book. At this rate, it won't be long before we catch him.**

 **October 4th, 2002 – The case was moved to the Drug Unit, though thankfully Masahiro-san convinced Commissioner Kitamura to have us stay on the case. Turns out Kaneshiro's been in more than just blackmail and con. His biggest business is drug dealing. He even has a small extortion ring that's been booming. He basically snaps pictures of the people tricked into delivering the drugs and then forces them into continuing the dirty work. Nothing but a two-bit thug. I can't wait to put him behind bars.**

 **October 10th, 2002 – The investigation had hit a stonewall. I don't even know what happened. One moment, we were _this_ close to catching Kaneshiro. But he managed to slip through our fingers. Our lead was an elaborate dead end. I was wrong. Kaneshiro isn't dumb muscle… He's good. Masahiro-san hasn't given up, though. His informant said he had good information. It might lead us back on track. **

**October 11th, 2002 – The investigation has been put on hold. Following the incident at Ikebukuro, I have now been removed from the investigation, and have been given temporarily leave. After what happened, I am thankful for the opportunity the Commissioner has given me. Even so, I am unsure how to tell Masahiro-san's family the news. His wife died of illness years ago, and Makoto-chan's still in grade school. How am I supposed to tell them that I let my best friend, mentor and partner die in that damned alley?**

Light's eyes widened. He re-read that last line, again and again, hoping he was seeing things. But he wasn't. This was his father's handwriting. His own personal thoughts on the case. A memoir.

"Masahiro-san...was killed?" he whispered, shell-shocked. But, that couldn't be write. Soichiro himself told him that the man died in a car accident! So why did this say otherwise?

Matsuda looked up from the computer, noticing Light's shock-filled reaction. "Hm? Something wrong, Light-kun?" he asked.

"Matsuda-san..." Light looked at the young detective. Though he wasn't instated at the time, surely even he would have answers about this, right? "This case file..."

Mastuda tilted his head and stood up. He walked over and examined the case fell. Immediately, his face fell. "Oh… I remember the chief telling me about this case."

"Then, Masahiro-san was killed?" He nodded gravely. Light stammered. "B-but I thought dad said he was killed in a car accident. He was hit by a drunk driver, wasn't he?"

"Soichiro-san told you because you were too young." Matsuda said. "Or so the chief told me. And he told that to the Niijima sisters because he didn't want them going after Kaneshiro in revenge. To be perfectly honest, though, I think it has more to do with the fact that Soichiro-san blames himself. You were too young to remember, but you had a fever the day it happened, so the chief stayed him with Sachiko-san to look after you. Masahiro-san went to follow up on the lead his informant gave him, and..." He sighed heavily, eyes dropping. "According to the reports and eye witnesses, it was a trap. Kaneshiro wanted to get rid of one of the lead investigators. He was shot 48 times in the back. Masahiro-san didn't know what hit him. The only saving grace was that the first shot killed him instantly."

Light nodded stiffly. As Matsuda somberly returned to his desk, and with a trembling hand, Light closed the case file and proceeded on to another. Ryuk chuckled. **"Seems like dear old daddy had some secrets of his own, huh?"** the Shinigami said chillingly. **"But really? Come on, he told a lie to you and that girl so she wouldn't go after this Kaneshiro guy in revenge? Seems more like to me he was just running away. Course, that's just how I see it."**

Light's hands tightened into fists. "Shut up."

"You say something, Light?"

"Nothing, Matsuda-san. Just mumbling to myself..."

* * *

On the Phantom Thieves side, they had more or less uncovered how their target was extorting them. Thanks to Makoto, Ren had been able to corner one of the students. It seemed being feared by the school thanks to his reputation had its quirks. Poor guy was scared that he was going to do something to him, and was even more so when he figured out he was being extorted.

The fact that they were smuggling drugs, however, was something else entirely.

It wasn't just a big indicator, it was serious. It was also Ren's first real look at true criminal activity. This was serious. And quite a large target for the Phantom Thieves, assuming everything went well. With a target like this, a serious and dangerous criminal, they needed to tread carefully. He warned the others as much as they went about investigating the men involved.

Sometime after they discovered the existence of drugs, Ren received a message from Light. There were a list of names written, each viable suspects. All they needed to do was figure out which ones.

"Must've been tough, finding all this stuff out while you were under watch." Ryuji commented. He was honestly impressed by how quickly Light had worked, though he noticed something was off about their newest member. His face was sour, bitterness reflected in his eyes. "Something wrong?"

"It's nothing." he told them, waving a hand. "I'm fine. I just...read something unpleasant in the case files. But to answer your question, it was fairly easy. Especially since it was Matsuda working at the office today."

Ryuk laughed. **"Never seen such an easy going guy. He'd get along great with a few other Shinigami back home. Buncha lazy bastards."** He then looked among the group, curious. **"So, how did you kids figure out which one of these guys is behind this whole gig?"**

"With this." Yusuke showed the Shinigami the Metaverse Navigation App. "This app allows us to traverse the Metaverse and enter Mementos and people's Palaces. For the latter, we require three things: a name, their distortion, and the center of the distortion. In Kamoshida's case, I believe it was Shujin Academy and a castle?"

Ann nodded. "That's what I think it was, yeah." she confirmed. "Okay, so one of these guys might be who we're after. Let's start with this one... Mukuro Kobayashi."

 _[No candidates found.]_ the Nav rejected.

"Mitsuba Yosoka?"

 _[No candidates found.]_

"Kyosuke Higuchi?"

 _[No candidates found.]_

Yusuke frowned. "Hold a moment. Kyosuke Higuchi. Isn't he a member of the Yotsuba Group company?"

"A scandal involving the Nanjo Group." Light explained. "Apparently, Higuchi was embezzling corporate funds and was maintaining a small drug trade on the side. When the Nanjo Group president found out, he not only fired the guy on the spot, but called in for police involvement. The only reason he's now a corporate executive in the Yotsuba Group is because someone paid bail and had a slew of connections. Moving on, the next name should be Junya Kaneshiro."

A moment later, the world twisted. _[Candidate found.]_ the Nav chimed.

"We got a hit." Ren said. Unnoticed by everyone else, Light's face darkened and his hands balled into fists. "Now, what about his distortion?"

"Since he's obsessed with money, perhaps some place that flows with it frequently." Yusuke suggested. "A casino?"

 _[No match found.]_

"Bank?"

 _[Match found.]_

Ryuji balked. "Seriously?"

"Makes sense." Yusuke hummed. "From what little we've gathered, Kaneshiro has been making large profits based on what we've seen so far. These extortions seem to be his main source of revenue. We have the distortion, now what could be the location?"

Light's mind raced over the possibilities. He went over what little he knew about what Makoto told him when she brought this information to him. He also thought back to his father's case file as well. _'_ _Kaneshiro started in Shibuya, and he's just now started to expand his business of operations.'_ Light thought. _'From what they've told me, it's always been a single location. But in my Palace's case, I thought of the whole world as the center of the distortion. If such a thing was possible for me, then...'_

"What about all of Shibuya?"

 _[Coordinates found.]_

The others stared at him in shock as the world distorted again, if only briefly. "How'd you do that?" Ann asked, amazed by how quickly he was able to figure it out.

"Well, you guys said for my Palace, the center of the distortion was the whole world, right? So I applied that same logic, just to Shibuya. Up until recently, Kaneshiro always kept his business here. But now that I've stopped using the Death Note, he's only now started to expand."

"I see..." Yusuke rubbed his chin. "I can only wonder what sort of Palace Kaneshiro's will be. Shall we head in?"

"Wait, isn't that dangerous?!" Ann asked, panicked as she looked around. "We're in the middle of public!"

Ryuji shook his head. "Aw, come on. Who's gonna notice a bunch of teenagers being missin' in a crowd?" he asked, seemingly unconcerned.

Light sighed deeply as he pinched the bridge of his nose. Even Ryuk couldn't help but sweatdrop. **"You aren't the brightest tool in the shed, are ya, kid?"**

"I think's that an insult to all tools in the shed, dumb or smart." Morgana added.

Ryuji balked at the sudden flak he was receiving. Ren, however, realized what they were getting at. "You realize that if we use it here, we risk dragging in someone into the Palace with us? If not more people?" Ryuji's eyes widened. He clearly hadn't thought of that possibility, despite it having happened twice before. The first time with Ann when they resolved to steal Kamoshida's Treasure, and again with Light when they went after Kamiyama Takanashi. "Let's do this somewhere else."

* * *

The alleyway near the Airsoft Shop in Central Street proved to be the best location, given how there were few people who had business in this part of the area. Upon entering the Palace, the Phantom Thieves of Hearts were once again clad in their rebel attire. Immediately, they noticed a small few changes in the world around them, such as the dim lighting and the depressingly dark sky hanging overhead. Strangely, they even found bills of yen floating in the air, all being pulled by some unseen force.

"Everything seems to be the same." Morgana commented as they stepped back into Central Street. He then took another look around, then yelped in surprise as he jumped, surprising everyone. "W-what are you doing in here?!"

 **"Hey, Mementos is in that thing's backyard."** Ryuk waved a hand, grinning at the stunned expressions of the Phantom Thieves all the while. **"A Palace, on the other hand, is a lot less risky. Besides, it doesn't actually seem to care all that much about these kinds of places."**

"We really need to ask you more about this thing in Mementos." Joker made the mental note before he took a quick glance around the area, then narrowed his eyes. "Everyone, look."

There were people in the Palace. Or rather, human-esque people. Shaped like ATMs. When they attempted to talk to it, all they received in response was gibberish and panicked cries, begging Kaneshiro for more time. Given how these were cognitive existences, based on the Palace ruler's own perception, it didn't take them long to realize that these were how Kaneshiro thought of people. Mere machines that he could bleed dry, and those that had been bled dry were thrown aside like trash, left to break down.

It was sickening. Noble felt his hands twitch in anger. The file containing his father's memoir came back to his mind. Kaneshiro was truly scum. Scum that deserved to-

 _'No!'_ Light Yagami shook his head, pushing that thought immediately out of his mind. Regret was quickly swelling in his breast. Dammit, even after having his heart changed, those damn thoughts still persisted. Even though he had changed. Was change really impossible for him? No. He needed to fight back against this urge. He swore, both to himself and to his sister, that he would never use that damn notebook ever again. _'C'mon, Light. Get it together. You chose to become a Phantom Thief, right? Now, start acting like one!'_

"This is so horrible..." Panther said in sadness. Everywhere she looked, on virtually every street corner, there was a cognitive person lying stone dead or destroyed. "I can't believe this is how Kaneshiro thinks of people!"

"Truly beyond forgiveness." Fox shook his head. "However, I've noticed that we've yet to see any place of unusual distortion. Nothing seems out of place, except perhaps all of these bills being sucked into the air."

Skull scratched his head. "Where they even going, anyway? I don't even feel any wind." He looked up, and then his jaw became unhinged. "Holy shit!" At his exclaimed cry, the group looked up and had similar reactions. Even Ryuk was stupefied by what he saw. Hanging overhead was a giant disk, easily the size of a block worth of streets. It was also hard to see, but on top of the disk, they could make out some sort of building. "Is-is that where Kaneshiro is?" Skull whispered numbly. "H-how are we supposed to get up there?!"

"I don't suppose Mona can turn into a helicopter?" Noble asked out of curiosity. Morgana shook his head. "Damn. We're in his Palace, and yet we've already hit a roadblock."

"Seems like." Joker turned to the other thieves, hands in his pockets. "Let's head back for now and think up a way to get inside. We've done enough today anyway."

* * *

Light returned home, still feeling a little sour. To his slight surprise, neither his father or Sayu were home today. The former was no doubt busy, and Sayu had left a note on the kitchen counter saying that she would be having a sleepover at a friend's place, and couldn't text him because her phone died. Shaking his head in amusement, he shot her a text, assuming she got it to work, telling her to be careful before he headed up to his room. He also decided to shoot Makoto a message as well and give her a basic report of what was going on.

 _ **Light Yagami - How did things go with you when you were working with the others?**_

 _ **Makoto Niijima - Tense. Takamaki-san made it clear she doesn't like me. I...don't blame her.**_

 _ **Light Yagami - Hey, there wasn't much you could do in that situation, Makoto.**_

 _ **Makoto Niijima - Even so, I wish I could do something.**_

 _ **Makoto Niijima - Anyway, as I'm sure you were told, this mafia group extorts via blackmail. They have them deliver something, that something being narcotics, and they take a picture of you.**_

 _ **Light Yagami - And after that, you're in their pocket. I was able to look through the case files. The guy behind it is Junya Kaneshiro.**_

Light hesitated for a moment. Should he tell Makoto what he found? His face scrunched up in thought, trying to figure out something to tell her. She did deserve the right to know, but going back to what Matsuda said when he discovered the case file...maybe his father was right not to tell them. What if Makoto did something rash? As he continued to hesitate, Makoto texted him back.

 _ **Makoto Niijima - Junya Kaneshiro... Sis mentioned him. Actually, I think she's investigating him, but she doesn't talk much about work at home.**_

 _ **Light Yagami - I see. So the police are after him too.**_

 _ **Makoto Niijima - Light-kun? Please, be safe. I don't...**_

 _ **Light Yagami - I'll be fine, Makoto. Trust me.**_

The chat ended there. And Light couldn't help but hate himself for asking Makoto trust him, when he wasn't even sure he could trust himself right now. **"So, what'cha gonna do now?"** Ryuk asked, lounging on his side while hanging in the air. **"I mean, that Kaneshiro guy's bank is pretty high up. Unless you can find a way to bring a helicopter into the Metaverse, ain't no way you'll be able to get up there."** Since the room was likely wiretapped, and since he was also being watched, Light couldn't really answer. Instead, he wanted to get his mind off of things. He grabbed the remote from his night stand and turned on the TV in his room.

 _"-in other recent news, Tohru Adachi, a former law enforcement officer from the Inaba Police Department, was released from prison this month."_ the TV said as soon as he turned it on, revealing it to be a news report. _"Adachi-san was confirmed to have killed two people during his time in the quiet suburban town, including former local television announcer Mayumi Yamano, who had been involved in a scandal with former Council Secretary Taro Namatame, who is now mayor of Inaba, and Saki Konishi, a second-year at Yasogami High who discovered Yamano-san's body. Many people were shocked to learn that Adachi-san, who had been sentenced to life imprisonment, was declared a free man a month prior to his release. The officer in charge of the murder case involving Adachi-san, his former partner Ryotaro Dojima, has offered no comments on the matter."_

 **"Heh, so a murderer walks out a free man, huh?"** Ryuk said, wry with amusement. **"The opposite of you, don't you think? A murderer that's just waiting for somebody to catch him and haul him off to jail."**

Light ignored the Shinigami and laid back down on his bed. Perhaps some sleep could do him some good, though he should invest in some ear plugs. Listening to Ryuk's babbling was so damn annoying.

 _'I wonder how he'd like a sour apple.'_ he thought with a small little grin on his face as he turned over. The image of Ryuk spitting the apple out nearly made him laugh.

* * *

"So far, nothing out of the ordinary..." Ukita said, munching on a bag of potato chips while Ide was busy working with Mogi off to the side. "Actually, I haven't seen Light study at all these past few days."

Soichiro nodded. "I've heard from Sayu he just mostly spends his days hanging out with her and helping her around the house or with her own exam studies." he told his subordinate. He wasn't sure if this was also part of the change of heart, but he was happy to hear how his children was getting along. Though he did worry a little about Light suddenly failing in class. "Do we know who he was texting with?"

"We can't read the texts, unfortunately, but the IP address is from Makoto Niijima." Ide reported. "Now that I think about it, isn't she Masahiro-san's daughter?"

Mogi nodded. "Yep. And her older sister, Sae, is a member of the Special Investigations Unit. One of the best prosecutors in the country nowadays." He paused briefly, then looked unconcerned. "Though I don't know what her problem is with you, chief. Every time I see her looking at you, she looks like somebody killed her cat."

Soichiro's lips thinned.

 _"You had no right to keep that a secret from us!"_

"We had a disagreement in the past." Soichiro answered. "Anyway, what about the Phantom Thieves? Any recent movement?"

"They've been relatively quiet." L said, staring at his laptop as he scrolled through the reports listed. "Ever since Kamiyama Takanashi's change of heart, there haven't been any requests listed that we've found to have been completed. It seems they only accept certain cases. Interesting. However, given the recent series of events, I would say their next target would be Junya Kaneshiro."

Ide narrowed his eyes. "What makes you say that?"

"For starters, the extortion ring that's been expanding. If they're the social reformers they believe themselves to be, it's a fairly good bet. And speaking of which, I have a list of suspects." He gestured for the task force to come over to his desk as he opened the briefcase next to him, taking out a handful of papers. "Study these reports, learn all that you can. Memorize them."

"High school students..." Ukita said, a little sad and surprised. It was depressing to think that Kira alone was a high schooler with some twisted sense of justice, as it made him wonder what could mess someone that young up so badly they'd go to such extremes. The kids on the reports were all second-years from Shujin Academy, and they all seemed to have a sort of delinquent vibe to them. The girl, if only based on her appearance, and the blonde male for his rougish face.

L went over each of the suspects.

"The boy in glasses is Ren Amamiya. A second year at Shujin Academy, currently 16 years old. He was former first-year student at Seven Sisters High School in Sumaru City, but he reportedly attacked a man unprovoked. As a result, he was given a criminal record and is currently on probation. The girl is Ann Takamaki, another second-year student at Shujin, and 17 years old. Her grandfather was of American descent, hence her unique appearance. In April, she was reportedly one of the victims of the Kamoshida case, having been a personal target of his for quite some time. The last is another second-year, Ryuji Sakamoto, 17-years-old. A year prior, he was a member of the Track Team, but when Kamoshida was made advisor, he sentenced the team to rigorous training methods and even leaked Sakamoto's personal information of his living situation, which led to an altercation that ended in Sakamoto's leg being broken and ending his career. The track team was dissolved as a result."

Mogi rubbed his chin. "So, all of them are misfits in some manner." he said, looking over each report. "Still, this Amamiya kid doesn't look like the violent sort."

"No kidding." Ukita agreed. "It says here he was even like Light-kun and was on full track for a scholarship, despite being in his first year of high school. Just what could have provoked him to attack a guy?"

"Actually, I believe he was unjustly accused of that." L said, bringing eyes to him. "I grew curious and ordered a small investigation. There was a reported disturbance of someone shouting, initially believed to be a couple engaging in some sort of fight. When the police arrived, the victim had suffered a minor head wound. A woman on the scene collaborated with his testimony, but there are quite a few glaringly obvious spots. For starters, those in Amamiya's neighborhood all seemed to know him to some degree and stated that he wasn't the type to attack someone without reason. Furthermore, and the most interesting part, the name of the man was withheld."

Soichiro's eyes narrowed. "His name wasn't mentioned?" L nodded, making the man frown. "That means he must have a lot of sway. If we go under the assumption that the woman was actually being harassed by the man, and Amamiya interfered, then the man witholding his name means he must have some political sway, or connections to the police."

"And the resulting scandal of him assaulting a woman would have damaged his career." L finished the train of thought. "A victim of injustice. I believe these three students are members of the Phantom Thieves. And that their next target will be Junya Kaneshiro. Given how he is an actual hardened criminal, and that his extortion ring extends to students, including Shujin Academy, it makes him the perfect target. The real question is, when will they target him?"

Of course, at the time, no one in the Task Force could have predicted how the Kaneshiro case would turn out. Nor would Soichiro Yagami ever expect to learn that his son was affiliated with these three suspects.

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**

* * *

 _"Against danger, it pays to be prepared." -Aesop_

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE** : Hm, my muse appears to be slowing down some. Well, that's fine. If I'm being honest, this story has received enough updates for the time being.

I really need to focus on Fate/VRAINS, especially since I'm so close to finishing my first major story arc.

But also, aside from that, unfortunately, I will be out focusing on real world activities. Work has recently started to pile up, and my boss has decided to transfer me over to another branch. It doesn't mean I'll be moving, but I'll have to adjust to my new schedule.

However, I do like to announce that I am _very_ close to finishing a story that has been in the works for well over a year. I hope you all enjoy it when it is released! I also have another story in the works also, but that's still just an idea. I'm trying to keep my stories limited, so I don't overextend myself.

* * *

 **REVIEWS**

grimmzapdos: "Count" refers to the Count of Monte Cristo, a literary figure who's story is widely regarded as the greatest revenge story ever told.

Boyzilla: Nonsense. All you need is a little bending, and voila. A Hakuno who rebels against society! My question is whether or not he/she would like pancakes~

gamelover41592: Thanks, but it looks like I'll be slowing down now. Also, Ryuk was actually referring to Raye Penber. Misa hasn't made a proper appearance yet.

SkiesEagle: Well, he can't be serious all the time. And that is hardly going to be the only embarrassing thing he'll get involved in. Embrace your inner chuuni, Light. Embraaace iiit. And Light's dynamics with the thieves, right now, is mostly just purely business. They don't know him fully, and he doesn't know them, much less himself. That's what his Confidant will be covering while we're in the middle of the Kaneshiro Arc. And Makoto...yeah, she isn't going to take the news very well. I'm honestly excited for P5R...so long as they rework Akechi's Confidant so we can save him. I like my pancake boi. And as for that drawing, that would be wonderful. Send me the details via PM when you get the chance.

Lady Rosalina: I'm glad you're enjoying the story! Please enjoy watching Light as he continues to evolve and understand how the world honestly and truly works.


	10. Sinner of Greed (Part 4)

_"This world is still rotten... With too many rotten people." -Light Yagami, "Death Note"_

* * *

 **WARNING LETTER**

* * *

The investigation into Kaneshiro's Palace had hit a stonewall as frustrating as it was, especially when they had their target right in front of them. The center of Kaneshiro's twisted desires was floating in the air, and they had no way of reaching it. Ren and Light both shared a theory that only people Kaneshiro recognized as his "customers" would be allowed to enter it. That, of course, meant people he was extorting.

The brunette felt rather annoyed that they were unable to progress. He couldn't think of any way they could reach the bank. He also sincerely doubted that Ryuk would volunteer to fly them up to the Palace. There were also too many unknown variables to consider. What if Kaneshiro had aerial defenses in place to prevent anyone from trying to fly their way up?

The more he thought about it, the more concerned and irritated Light became. He eventually decided he would forgo thinking and put it off his mind. Since the group couldn't find do anything at present, they decided their next best move would be to investigate Kaneshiro and hope they could perhaps learn something about him that could give them an edge. Light was tempted to ask his father and confront him about Kaneshiro, but he was on thin ice enough as is with people watching his every move and house and home.

School had ended, but the teen found himself merely wandering Tokyo. There were no plans to investigate Kaneshiro, though he did hear that Ren was looking into a potential source of information. Something about a reporter they ran across during the Madarame case. To try and get his mind off things, Light decided it would be best to maybe try and hit an arcade. As the thought crossed his mind, though, he realized something shortly after.

"...this is the first time I'm actually going to an arcade on my own instead of being invited." he murmured with a wry smile. To keep up appearances and try to make connections with other people that would benefit him in the long run, or simply humor people who were just trying to brag about being friends with the smartest guy in school, Light accepted hang-outs to karaoke bars, arcades, burger joints and so on. "Huh. Feels rather odd." Light then pursed his lips, holding a hand to his chin. "What would I even do there? I mean, I mostly just watched others play the games there."

"Do you normally talk to yourself out on the street?" Light looked over his shoulder and found Ren behind him, Morgana leaning on his shoulder. "Yo."

"Oh, Amamiya." Light greeted. "Sorry. I guess I just got lost in thought. What are you doing here?"

"We're killing time, mostly." Morgana mewled. "That Ohya woman hasn't gotten back to us yet, and we're just waiting for a reply."

"I see."

"If you don't mind me asking, what are you doing here? No offense, but going to an arcade doesn't seem like the sort of thing you would do."

Light chuckled, scratching his cheek. "You do have a point. Honestly, I guess it's just because the idea came to me, and I have nothing better to do. Not only that, but I don't usually go there unless someone invited me to go along."

"What?" the not-cat creature gasped. "Light, you mean to tell me you've _never_ tried to do anything fun on your own!"

"I have on occasion, but only when I was younger." Light explained with a wry look. "Since my father was so busy with police work, I was more or less the only person who could look after Sayu. When she got sick, when she needed to be picked up, help her with homework, etc. I never had much free time for myself, and what little time I did have, I used by spending time with Sayu."

Ren averted his eyes, remembering that the Yagami family had lost their mother early on in the children's lives. Light was practically made Sayu's second father figure, he realized. She didn't just see him as her brother, she saw him as a parent as well. He couldn't even imagine what it must have been like for Light, trying to care for his sister while he was still in Elementary school. Still, he would admit that they were remarkably adjusted, Light's brieft stint as Kira aside. It was a wonder how they didn't seem to hate their father, since he had little to no involvement in their early life.

"Anyway, it wasn't all bad." Light smiled softly. "Some of my best memories involved me and Sayu going Christmas shopping and birthday gift hunting for our father way back in middle school. It was around that time that I decided I wanted to become a detective." Light then snorted as he shook his head. "Shame how that dream went down the drain."

Morgana frowned. "Come on, you can't say that. I'm sure you'd make a wonderful detective."

"Maybe, but don't forget. I'm still one of the worst people to ever exist in the world. And all because of a single, damned notebook."

Light would have continued, had it not been for the sound of glass shattering. Screams of dismay and panic followed shortly afterwards. A man dressed in white garbs suddenly rushed past him and Ren, the latter being forcibly knocked to the floor. Thankfully for Morgana, the frizzy-haired teen held the bag close to his chest when he saw the man rushing by. "Ow!" Morgana hissed, feeling the numerous notebooks and calculators bang into his small body. "What in the heck was that about?!"

"Hey, you kids alright?!" an officer rushed over to help the two of them up while his partner sped past them, clearly in pursuit of the white-hooded man.

"We're fine." Light hissed, noticing that his hands suffered a few cuts from his fall. "Who was that?"

"One of those damn Kira fanatics!" the officer snarled. Light and Ren's eyes widened. "Even though there's a rumor going around Kira's gone into hiding or retired or something, these religious nutjobs are still popping up all over the place. Just now, he threw a brick at the window of a nearby pharmacy. Don't know why, but-"

"Hey! Come on! The perp's getting away!"

"Coming!" the officer called back to his partner before turning to the two teens. "You kids better be careful and head straight home. I swear, they'll go after anyone these days!" With his piece said, he quickly chased after his partner.

Ren and Morgana looked over at Light. His eyes were focused on the retreating back of the police officer. They were oblivious to the world around him, and his face was bitter like he had just swallowed a lemon. "Light?" Morgana called out worriedly. "Are you okay?"

"...yeah." Somehow, his words weren't very convincing. "I'm fine."

Ren looked at his new partner in crime in concern. _'That face says otherwise. He must still be worried about what's been happening because of Kira. I think I understand Light a little better...'_

 **RANK UP!**

 ** _Light Yagami - Aeon Confidant: Rank 2_**

 **"Can now participate in Baton Pass"**

* * *

CHAPTER 10: The Sinner of Greed (Part 4)

* * *

It was nighttime when Light had received a text message from the Phantom Thieves. He had been couped up in his room, his television set to a random channel to provide background noise while he sat at his desk, studying up on an upcoming pop quiz. When he saw his phone vibrate, he set his pen down and looked at the text, only to pause as he glanced over his shoulder discreetly. The cameras built into his room hadn't been removed as far as he knew, otherwise he would have heard Ryuk mention it. The last thing he wanted was for L to take notice of what he was doing, so he just gave the caller ID a look before he slipped it into his pocket and focused on studying for at least a few more minutes before he closed his notebook, proceeding to leave for one of the places where surveilence wasn't so heavy.

Sayu was watching one of her tokatsu shows, much to his amusement. He didn't remember the name or pay much attention to it, aside from its rather ridiculous premise about a doctor curing people through video games or something to that effect. He made it look like he was fixing himself something to eat before he looked at his phone again and opened the text, careful to angle it just right so L could only see the reflective glare on his side of the camera.

 _ **Ren - Got in touch with Ohya. I'm supposed to meet her at a bar in Shinjuku tomorrow called Crossroads.**_

 _ **Light - Shinjuku? As in, the red light district?**_

 _ **Yusuke - Why would she want to meet you there?**_

 _ **Ren - Don't know. But this could be our ticket into finding a way into Kaneshiro's Palace.**_

 _ **Ryuji - Hope so. I mean, the longer we wait around, the more people this guy screws over, yeah?**_

 _ **Ann - I've been hearing that some of the guys at our school are being targeted to. I think someone in our class is involved, but I'm not sure. Maybe me and Ryuji can look into that.**_

 _ **Yusuke - Why not have Niijima-san accompany you? I imagine he'd fold under pressure, given her position.**_

 _ **Ann - That's...**_

 _ **Light - Ann, despite what you may think, Makoto does actually mean well. While I'm not telling you to get over your problems with her right this second, trust try and work with her.**_

 _ **Ryuji - He's got a point, Ann. Prez does have one heck of a glare. And doesn't she practice kung-fu or something?**_

 _ **Light - Aikido, but close enough.**_

 _ **Ann - Ugh, fine. I'll see if little miss President is up for it.**_

Light sighed as he shook his head, shutting his phone close. "Something the matter, Light?" Sayu called from the couch. Just in time, too. His food was done. "That was a pretty big sigh. Oooh, did you get in trouble at school?"

"Of course not. What do you think I am? A delinquent?" Light shot back sarcastically, grabbing the leftover plate of sushi before seating himself at the dining room table. "It was just a text message from a couple friends of mine. Apparently, one of their friends goes to Shujin Academy and is having some problems, so they were asking for advice."

Sayu grinned. "Love advice?"

"I wish." Light snorted. "No, it has to do with someone that they don't like." While he wanted to tell her a half-truth and say that it involved Makoto, he couldn't risk L piecing together the dots. If he was even half the detective he thought he was, he couldn't risk anything. One slight slip-up, and that was that. Bye bye Phantom Thieves. "From what he told me, his friend and this guy at Shujin don't like each other because of an incident at school. My friend's friend seems to think that the guy at Shujin is a horrible person because they didn't stop someone from being bullied. But, from what my friend has also told me, that same person couldn't stop it because they didn't have the power to do it."

"Why?"

"Because the bully was a teacher. He didn't say who, but I don't think it was Kamoshida. If it was, I imagine the problem would have been solved a lot sooner."

An embellished lie, but it was good enough. He just hoped it would be enough to fool L and pray the man didn't try to pry into matters further.

"Sounds rough." Sayu frowned. "I hope things get resolved soon."

Light sighed again. "Yeah, me too..."

 _'...wait a second here.'_ Light looked around the kitchen, knitting his eyebrows in confusion. _'I haven't heard so much as one complaint about not being able to snack on an apple, much less a snicker. Where in the hell did that Shinigami run off too?'_

* * *

 **"Whew! Now _this_ is the good stuff!"** Ryuk cackled as he downed another apple, core and all. The juicy morsel was torn to pieces in seconds in his mouth, sliding down his throat with great relish. His ruined tastebuds tingled in delight. **"Gotta thank you again, kid. If it wasn't for you, I'd be going through withdrawal right about now. And trust me, it ain't pretty!"**

Ren rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say." he said before going back to his reading.

Had somebody told him he would be hosting a Shinigami, he would have laughed. And yet, here Ryuk was, snacking away at one of the apples he had bought on a whim. He still had to wonder what it was that made apples so addicting to a being like him. Actually, he had a lot of questions he wanted to ask. Like, was there an afterlife waiting for them if he was the reaper? Or was there nothing at all?

Then again, given what Light had told him, chances were that Ryuk would tell him nothing.

"God, don't you know how to savor those things?" Morgana eyed the Shinigami with disgust as he watched it inhale one apple after another. "At this rate, you'll eat all the apples we have."

 **"Can't help it. They're so delicious."** Ryuk chomped down on the entire front half of an apple, swallowing his bounty whole with a loud gulp. As he went in to finish it off, he paused in thought and looked at Ren. **"Been meaning to ask ya, but why did you let Light into your little group?"** Ren raised his brow at the death god. **"I mean, I dunno how you humans think, but it seems pretty weird that you'd just accept somebody who murdered a hundred or so people."**

Ryuk was not entirely wrong. Part of him had been rather hesitant about extending Light an invitation to the Phantom Thieves. There was a good possibility it could come back to bite him, but he didn't regret his decision. Light had changed because of their actions and was making up for what he did as Kira.

Besides, he felt like he would fit right in with them.

"He was a misfit." Ren answered.

Morgana and Ryuk stared before the latter cackled. **"Hah! You really are an interesting human, aren't you?!"** He went back to devouring the basket of apples with gusto, once more leaving Morgana astounded by how much he was capable of eating.

* * *

The next day, Light arrived at school and went about yet another boring day. At his side was Ryuk who had some point last night had returned to the household.

"Where were you last night?" Light typed into his phone under the guise of writing a text to a friend, showing what he wrote to his unusual companion. "You didn't cause trouble, did you?"

 **"Please, what could I do other than drop my Death Note again?"** Ryuk rolled his eyes. **"Relax, I was just fueling my addiction. That Amamiya kid saved me big time by giving me a basket full of apples. I thought I was going to go through another withdrawal!"**

The Honor Student scoffed. He would have to apologize to Ren later when he saw him. When thinking about the leader of the Phantom Thieves, he couldn't help but remember the incident from yesterday when they ran into one of his fanatics. He had read about them online when he was still Kira before he discovered That Penber was tailing him. At the time, he was a little annoyed and amused that he had such devoted followers that were little more than hooligans causing trouble.

Now, he felt horrible and reminded that all the chaos that those fanatics were causing was all his fault. He wished he could do something to stop them, but it wasn't as though he had the means to do it. He would have suggested Mementos, but he didn't know their identities.

Was there anything he could do to get them to stop other than a direct confrontation? The idea was dangerous, especially since they were resorting to violence as of lately. Not long after he had quit using the Death Note, the Kira fanatics had grown increasingly more violent. All they did at first was public disturbances, but overtime they got more violent. Vandalism, graffiti, harassment, assault and destruction of public property.

If he tried to confront them directly, chances were he would be in danger. And that was assuming he knew where to find them.

Light walked up to the third floor and stopped, finding Akechi speaking with a teacher about something. He seemed to arrive at the end as the teacher nodded at Akechi and walked away with a pleased look. As the teenage detective was about to leave, he took notice of Light. "Oh, Yagami-san."

"Were you in trouble or something?"

"Oh no, nothing like that. The teacher was just asking about my performance." Akechi smiled. "I'll be busy investigating the Phantom Thieves, but I've been keeping up with my studies. As it just so happens, he was asking me about whether or not I would be interested in a scholarship to To-Oh University, seeing as how you gave up on it."

"That so? Well, good to hear it." Light was indifferent to the news. If he was getting his hands on the scholarship, more power to him.

He made his move to leave for the classroom, but Akechi stopped him in favor of conversation. "I've been meaning to ask, but why did you decide to give up on the scholarship?"

"I thought I told you. I'm not interested in attending To-Oh, and I had second thoughts about my future."

"Forgive me for saying this, but I really doubt that." Light looked at Akechi, the latter staring at him curiously as though he was trying to solve a puzzle. "Your behavior has been rather unusual these last couple of weeks. I recall your health took a massive fall sometime after the Madarame scandal, and not long afterwards, you up and gave up on attending one of the best academic academies in the country. It just seems rather odd to me."

A feeling of unease settled in Light's stomach. Was it possible that Akechi realized something was off? Did he know?

"I was studying too hard, so I ended up crashing and burning from exhaustion." Light defended. "In case you've forgotten what country we live in, people tend to discard concerns for their health when studying for their entrance exams."

"While that is true. I can't help but wonder. Your health didn't seem to bad right before the Madarame Incident. Then again, I could just be overthinking things." Akechi stated.

Light inwardly flinched. He was too observant.

"At any rate, I've been meaning to ask you something. Have you heard the latest news about the ongoing Kira vs Phantom Thieves debate?"

"I thought Kira quit, seeing as how no one's died in over a week by now." Light frowned. It honestly felt like it had been a lot longer than that to him. When was the last time he had even touched that notebook? "Let me guess, people are still saying either the Phantom Thieves or Kira is just, hate both groups or somewhere in between."

Akechi smiled wryly. "Close. Kira's absence has been causing quite a stir. Some even think the Phantom Thieves elicited a change of heart, though no one's come forward yet. Other than that, it seems that the Kira fanatics have been challenging the Phantom Thieves."

That earned Light's attention. He didn't show it, but he was now fully interested in what the teenage detective was telling him. "Really? Seems pretty idiotic if you ask me."

"Oh, I feel the same. Word on the net says they are acting in God's place, telling the thieves to take their hearts if they dare. It's really amusing, if you ask me." Akechi snickered. "They even went so far as to post their full names on the forum site. I was sorely tempted to inform the police, but I wanted to see how the Phantom Thieves would react before doing anything."

"I see."

As Light and Akechi talked, Ryuk snickering to himself while staring at Akechi weirdly as if he knew something was off, the honors student made a mental note to ask Ren for a favor the next time they were free.

* * *

"You want me to come with you to Shinjuku?"

Ren nodded. "Insurance, mostly." he told Light. "Ryuji offered, but I felt like if he went, we would be in trouble. What do you know about it, Light-san?"

"Ren, please. Just call me Light." Light insisted. "And it's pretty much like what you've heard in magazines and online. During the day, Shinjuku is pretty peaceful, but the night life is the main reason why people flock to it. The red light district, love hotels, bars, the works. Come to think of it, where are you supposed to meet this Ohya woman?"

"A bar called Crossroads. I'm going to head back home and change clothes. Last thing we need is for rumors to start propping up that a bunch of high school kids went to Shinjuku in the middle of the night."

Light winced. That did seem pretty bad. It was probably worse for Ren, given that he was subject to scrutiny himself because of his criminal record.

Whereas for him, his image as an Honors Student would be tarnished should anyone recognize him. While he didn't put much thought into his image nowadays, it would cause some trouble if word got out. That and rumors about him could start spreading and worry his family, something he didn't want to risk. He already garnered enough attention with his recent change of heart, he didn't need to add more to it.

"Alright, I'll come with." Ren sighed with relief. "Just let me know what time you're leaving and I'll meet up with you at Shibuya Station."

"Thanks. Here's hoping this won't be a wild goose chase."

* * *

Just as Light had said, Shinjuku truly came alive during the night. In contrast during the day where many stores had closed their shutters and were closed for the time being, the whole street was alive with activity. People were coming and going, many having a woman with make-up and a stunning number that exposed a fair amount of skin hanging on their arms. There were just as many whose cheeks were rosy red, no doubt having had too much to drink.

"Wow, this place really is alive!" Morgana marveled at the crowds of people coming and going around them. "It looks as crowded as Shibuya."

"Let's just try not to get swept up with the crowds." Light said before he glanced at Ryuk. "And you better not cause any trouble while we're here, either."

The shinigami chuckled. **"Ah, relax. What could I possibly do besides scare a few people? Though I gotta ask, why in the world do these women put on so much make-up. You can't possibly find them attractive that you'd want to rut with them with all that gunk on their faces."**

"You would be surprised, Ryuk." he replied. "Come on, let's go."

The group made their way to their destination with Ren at the lead. Eventually, they found themselves at the designated bar and walked in. In Light's opinion, the bar was rather quiet. There was barely anyone present despite the fact it was night. A woman wearing a black-and-white shirt with a camera around her neck and orange-tinted sunglasses on top her head was sitting by herself at the bar table. Behind the counter was a woman(?) in a kimono with heavy make-up.

"Excuse me," Ren spoke up. "Is there an Ohya-san here?"

The woman with the sunglasses looked up from her drink. "Ah, if it isn't the kiddo from Madarame's place! Long time no see!" she greeted amicably. "I was wondering whether or not you were going to show up~ C'mon, take a seat. I'll buy you a drink."

"Not on your life." the woman(?) snapped. "Speaking of, haven't you hit your limit for the night, Ohya-chan?"

"Aw, but the night's still young, Lala-chan!"

 _'Oh. So the barkeep is a crossdresser then._ ' Light mused as he averted his attention to the journalist. He had to admit, the attire was pretty convincing. ' _I'm guessing he's the owner here.'_

"I'm not here for drinks, Ohya-san." Ren reminded her as he and Light approached her. "Just about what we talked on the phone."

Ohya giggled. "Right, right. Don't worry kiddo, I haven't forgotten." She then glanced curiously at the tagalong next to him. "I was under the impression you were coming by yourself. Who's this?"

"Light Yagami, ma'am." he bowed politely. "It's nice to meet you."

"My name ain't ma'am, it's Ohya. Ma'am just makes me sound freaking old." Ohya grinned. "Nice to meet you, Light-kun. Since you're here and all... Hey, Lala-chan. Mind if I borrow the private room?"

Lala rolled his eyes. "Only if you don't drink yourself silly or sneak the kids a roofie."

* * *

Ultimately, what information Ohya could give them about Kaneshiro didn't help much. At best, she simply gave them info they already knew. What else she did offer was insight about Kaneshiro's operations.

According to Ohya, Kaneshiro was utterly ruthless in his dealings. When someone entered his crosshairs, there was no stopping him until he got what he wanted. If someone managed to piss him off, he'd make their lives a living hell and made them work off the equivalent of a life debt for the rest of their lives. If somebody tried to break away from him, he'd just come after them and tighten his grip.

The reporter shared several stories about Kaneshiro's cruelty as well as what potential info she could offer the Phantom Thieves. Among those many horrible stories involved the corruption within the police force.

Light's face scrunched in anger as he remembered hearing about them. It seemed that Masahiro Niijima was not the only person who lost their lives in pursuit of Kaneshiro. There were others, all of whom got close to him only to wind up with a bullet in their back because they either got cocky and walked right into a trap or didn't see the danger until it was too late. Now more than ever, Light wanted to bring this horrible man to justice no matter the cost.

 **"Sounds like you guys are after a real piece of work.** " Ryuk commented as he lazed about in the air. **"I wonder if you can really bring him down, though. That woman didn't really give you a lot to go on, not even one hint that could help you sneak inside that flying bank of his."**

Light ignored him and continued to glare up at the ceiling. It wasn't as though he could actually talk to the Shinigami right now, either. His room was still bugged and under heavy surveillance. If he did anything remotely suspicious, L and his father would be on to him.

 **"Can you really change his heart like this?** " Ryuk continued on. Light was starting to get annoyed by the shinigami's permanent shit-eating grin. **"Granted, this guy caused your dad a lot of problems, but come on. Let's face facts. You all have no way of knowing how to actually get into his base, and it isn't like you can approach him in real life, either. He's pretty much untouchable."**

The grinning man grinned as he leaned in. **"But, I think you and I both know a way we can get to him."**

Light's knuckles turned white.

 **"It'd be so easy. A few pen strokes, one page, and viola! No more Kaneshiro. It's just one name, right? What's the harm?"**

If only it were so simple. Even if he wanted to use the Death Note again, writing the name was only half the task. he still had no idea what Junya Kaneshiro looked like. But Ryuk did have a point. It'd be so simple and so easy. Like Ryuk said, just a few penstrokes and-

The inside of his cheek opened up. The taste of copper touched his tongue.

Light threw himself from his bed and stood up, grabbing his cell phone from his desk and flipping it open. He dialed a number from his list of contacts and pressed it to his ear while vacating his room.

Ryuk stared at Light's retreating back. **"...was it something I said?"**

* * *

Makoto stared at her notebook in frustration. She spent the last hour or so just staring at it, her pen in her hand but nowhere close to the page. She thought if she studied she would get her mind off of the train wreck that was dinner, but her sister's words were still echoing in her ears.

Useless. That was what Sae called her. She looked ashamed after having said that, spoken only out of frustration, but they still hurt. Deep down, she knew her sister wasn't wrong. That was exactly what she had been.

She was useless back in Shujin. Students suffered under Kamoshida and she did nothing to stop it.

She wanted to do something, but she didn't see how she could. Every attempt that had been made previously by those willing to speak out were either arrested for slander, ignored outright or covered up. And those students either stopped attending Shujin or were expelled not long afterwards. Makoto knew that would be here fate if she spoke out and kept silent, having spent so long to get where she was now.

But that did not stop the mounting frustration she felt as she watched Kamoshida get away with his crimes. She couldn't even do anything to help Shiho Suzui.

"I can't do anything right, can I...?" Makoto gripped the pen tighter as her eyebrows knit closer.

She sighed and let her pen fall to the desk. She couldn't study like this. Maybe it was better for her to try and get some sleep?

 _*ring ring, ring ring*_

"Hm?"

Makoto looked at her phone. The ID read: Light Yagami.

"Light-kun?"

Why was he calling her this late? She picked up her phone and raised it to her ear after answering the call. "Hello?"

"Hello, Makoto. Sorry for calling so late."

"Oh no, no it's fine. Wh-what did you want to talk about?"

"I just...needed to cool off, I guess. Someone that's been getting on my nerves for the last couple of weeks or so said something that really struck a nerve." Light sighed. "My nerves are all wound up for a while now... This Kaneshiro stuff is not helping much either. Anyway, how are you doing?"

"I'm doing well enough." There was no reason to tell him about Sae. Not when he already had enough on his plate. "Though I suppose things could be a little better. What about you? Aside from Kaneshiro and the work of the Phantom Thieves, how have you been? It's been a long time since we last spoke."

Light laughed. "Yeah, I suppose it has been a while. Sayu has been wanting to see you again. Come to think of it, we never really saw much of each other since we started high school, haven't we?"

"You're right. We haven't." She mused. "Sorry about that, by the way, school has just been so busy and..."

"No no. I understand. We both had our studies to attend to."

"Speaking of studies, did you ever decide what college you wanted to go to?"

"No, I haven't. Ideally, the best choice would be To-Oh University, but even Sis thinks their standards are pretty high. What about you?"

"I was going to attend To-Oh myself, but then I got involved with the Phantom Thieves and other stuff. It's been a hell of a rollercoaster." A brief silence occurred before Light sighed. "More than I'd care to admit."

Makoto bit her lip. Light sounded so exhausted. Exactly what kind of lifestyle did the Phantom Thieves lead that he would be this way? Or was this simply him dealing with his own troubles.

"...Light-kun, if you don't mind me asking, why did you join the Phantom Thieves?"

No response.

"Light-kun?"

"That's...difficult to answer in a single response. Looking back, there were several factors that came into play."

Light sighed. "I guess it all started when I started to lose sight of myself."

"Lose sight of yourself?"

"Before I met the Phantom Thieves, I...wasn't a good person. Much less a good brother to Sayu. In a way, I guess you could say that they saved me and I want to return the favor." Light paused. "That, and... I don't want to lose sight of what my justice means to me."

Makoto's eyes widened. "Your...justice?"

"Right. It's something I had forgotten over the years, ever since my mother died. I forgot what the word justice truly meant to me. It wasn't until I met with the Phantom Thieves did I remember. I want to protect Sayo. And more than that, I want to change this rotting society."

"Rotting society? What do you mean?"

"I'm pretty sure you know well what I mean. People like Kamoshida and Madarame. They are corrupt figures in authority that use and abuse those beneath them and profit from their misery. People like that are everywhere, hidden in plain sight. And it's not just them, either. There are other people abusing their authority and doing whatever they please. I want to change people like that. And..."

Light fell silent again. He seemed to be doing that a lot. "Light-kun?" Makoto questioned in worry. "Are you okay?"

"It's nothing. I guess I just have a lot of things on my mind is all. Sorry for worrying by talking about crap like this."

"N-no, it's fine. Really." she assured him. She was still a little confused, but she was able to get her mind off what Sae had said. "To be honest, you helped get my mind off things. Actually, can I ask you something?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"...do you think Dad would approve of the Phantom Thieves?"

"...What brought this on all of a sudden?"

"It's actually something I've been thinking about for a while. My dad was an officer, and I can't help but wonder what he would think of the Phantom Thieves if he were still alive."

"And you're asking me what he would think?" Makoto feared that Light would give her the same response as Sae. To her relief, he merely hummed thoughtfully. "It's hard to say, honestly. I haven't seen Masahiro-san in a long time, but if I were to make a guess... I would think he'd agree with what their doing, but that's just me."

"Really?!" She quickly calmed down after her exclamation. "Wh-why would you say that?"

"I can't really say. It's just a feeling I have."

* * *

The next day came by without much fanfare. School passed in the blink of an eye. Once more, the group convened in the Shibuya Accessway, though it was clear they were still rather frustrated by their lack of progress in Kaneshiro's Palace.

"I take it nobody's found a way to get up to the bank?" Ren asked. The group shook their heads, making him sigh. "Yeah, figured that was the case..."

"Couldn't we just ask that airsoft shop owner pal of yours for some fireworks, then strap 'em on to Morgana?" Ryuji suggested.

Morgana gave Ryuji a flat stare. "What? That'd never work! Also, even if it did work, I would whole-heartedly refuse! What if the fireworks exploded while we were in mid-air?!"

"How about asking Ryuk to fly us up?" Yusuke asked. "He has wings."

Ryuk snorted. **"You're funny, kid. Thanks, but no thanks. I don't feel like making repeat trips with passengers. Ain't no way you can ask me to carry the cat bus, either."**

"Not even if we offered you apples?"

 **"Not even!"**

Light scoffed. "Forget it. Ryuk's practically useless in this regard." He grimaced as he scratched his head in frustration. "Dammit, how are we supposed to get inside? At this rate, the only other option we have is to try and talk to Kaneshiro directly! And we don't even know where he is!"

"What of those hooligans Ren and the Student Council President met on Central Street?" Yusuke inquired. "If they are part of Kaneshiro's gang, they should know where he is."

Ann bit her lip. "But, Kaneshiro's also pretty much like yakuza, right? Wouldn't that be kind of dangerous?"

"She's got a point." Morgana narrowed his eyes. "Kaneshiro isn't like Kamoshida or Madarame. He's careful and ruthless. One wrong step, and we'll go crashing down."

"It's not something we can just risk. If he catches onto us snooping around, it's likely he'll just off us right then and there." Light warned.

"Geez...that's effin' terrifying." Ryuji shuddered. "If only there was some way to change his cognition and let us walk right in..."

"But, what would that be?" Ren questioned. "Let's go over what we know. He thinks every person in Shibuya is his patron. It's his area of business and may as well be his personal piggy bank. And his bank is floating hundred of miles up in the air to where we can't reach it. So how do his walking ATM patrons come and go inside?"

"That is the mystery, isn't it?" Morgana scratched back of his ear. "What's the criteria for them being allowed entry?"

"Entry?" Something sparked inside Light at that moment. What Ren was talking about and what Morgana just said... "Wait, if that's the case..."

"You figure somethin' out, Light?" Ryuji asked excitedly. "Come on, let's hear it! Did'ya figure a way inside?!"

"I think so. Some bank customers have a sort of "pass" that lets them access the bank after hours. If my guess is right, Kaneshiro considers anyone who he thinks is his "customer" to enter his bank, a lot like what I just said. If we want to get inside the palace, we'd have to be his customers." His eyes hardened. "Or in other words, we would have to be in the same position as everyone he's blackmailing."

Yusuke scowled. "I see... That certainly does make sense."

"And poses a problem." Morgana cursed. "It seems like our only option is to meet with Kaneshiro after all and become one of his "customers." One problem, though..."

Where would they even find him? That was the one question on their minds, let alone the implications and possibilities of what would happen if they did confront him. One wrong move and they would be in hot water.

As the group pondered on what to do, Light spotted a familiar face approaching them. "Oh, Makoto." he greeted amicably. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Ann stiffening up and glaring at his childhood friend with anger. "Did you find out anything useful?"

"None whatsoever," Makoto sighed. "And I'm afraid it's getting worse. The principal called me in and gave me quite the tongue-lashing. Even though I already told him about the problem beforehand."

Ren snorted. "Lemme guess, he thought it wasn't worth his time and was just a joke? Or that it'd just ruin Shujin's public image further?"

"I'm afraid so..."

"The longer we wait around, the more victims will pile. We must find a way to meet with Kaneshiro, at least figure out where he is." Yusuke insisted. "Though as Yagami-san suggested, we should be cautious. He isn't the sort who would just make idle threats."

"Really? What did you suggest Light?" Makoto questioned.

Light sighed and told her what they needed to do if they were going to change Kaneshiro's heart, barring anything related to the Metaverse of course. For the most part, Makoto seemed to understand what it was they needed and how they had to go about it. But as he said previously, the problem came about in how they were going to handle Kaneshiro and what they could do protect themselves when they did face the man. At the very least, they needed to figure out where he was.

"I see... That does sound rather complicated." Makoto noted. "But, for the most part, you just need to figure out where he is, right?"

Ren nodded. "Yeah, but it's easier said than done."

Makoto glanced down at the ground in thought. She thought back to the conversation with Sae, Akechi's words to her when they met at the prep school and her talk with Light last night.

 _"You're useless to me. All you do is eat away at my life!"_

 _"Oh, I see now. You're one of those push-over goody-two-shoe types, is that right?"_

 _"I think he would agree with what they're doing, but that's just me."_

"...What if I can get you guys to him?"

The others turned to stare at her. "What do you mean?"

"You just need to see Kaneshiro, right? And to do that, you need to find out where he is." Makoto said. "And it just so happens that some of his lackeys hang around Central Street. What if you tailed those two back to his hideout?"

Morgana blinked. Ren and he looked to each other before turning back to Makoto. "That's...pretty ingenius, but one problem. How would we know who to follow? What're the odds we'll find the guys we met near the gym? And more importantly, how would we tail them without them noticing us?"

"Just leave that to me." Makoto said, eyes burning. "I'll make sure you guys can get to Kaneshiro."

The group stared at her before exchanging uncertain looks with each other. Just what was she planning?

For some reason, Light felt uneasy. _'I got a bad feeling about this...'_

* * *

The bad feeling Light had was true. Makoto had indeed followed through with her word on getting them to Kaneshiro. The problem was that she used herself as bait. She could have chosen any other method that would have guaranteed success or had the least amount of danger, but she chose the most stupidest choice in walking up to Kaneshiro's goons and asking them where to find Kaneshiro. The only reason they managed to find her in time before she was ushered into a car and they drove off was because Ryuji snagged a taxi and Yusuke memorized the license plate.

The meeting with Kaneshiro was as tense as it was terrifying. Light realized that there was a safety in using the Death Note. When confronting someone you wanted to kill, someone who could fight back, you had to stand in front of them and fight to kill them. The smart ones hanged back and took up another, more secure method. With the Death Note, he could just sit in his room and kill criminals left and right and never worry about having a gun waved in his face or a knife aimed at his neck.

But this was different. He had no such security blanket or defense. He was standing in front of a criminal that could easily ruin his life, just as he was threatening to do. When the Phantom Thieves found Kaneshiro's hideout and barged in to save Makoto, they found her pinned to the floor by one of his men. Light knew Kaneshiro couldn't risk them speaking out against him or spilling where he was and rectified that situation easily with only a few photographs. Alcohol, drugs, a teenager in a compromising position with an adult that clearly looked shady... He had them cornered.

Makoto had to pay 3 million yen, otherwise he'd leak the photos to Shujin and online.

The group was forcibly removed the club and back out on the street. Once they were away from Kaneshiro's goons and someplace safe, Light saw no reason to hold back his anger.

"Makoto, what the fuck were you thinking?!" The group recoiled and stared at Light, his face red and shoulders trembling. The target of his anger stepped back. "I know you're not an idiot, so what were you thinking by pulling a stunt like this?! Were you trying to get yourself killed back there?!"

"I-I wasn't-!"

"Did you stop to think about what could have happened if we hadn't shown up in time?!" He didn't want to hear her excuses. He couldn't contain the outrage any longer. "You knew how dangerous Kaneshiro was! We couldn't walk in there half-cocked or without a plan! Dammit all, you could have died! Or worse! If something happened to you, how could I tell Sae-san?!"

"I-I...!" Makoto tried to refute, but she couldn't find her voice. She never saw Light this angry before in her life. And frankly, it was quite jarring.

"I must agree with Yagami-san," Yusuke voiced his own disapproval, though compared to Light his tone was much lighter and perhaps more forgiving if only because he did not know Makoto personally. "You were completely reckless. What drove you to be so foolish?"

"I just...I just wanted to contribute..."

"There are other ways of doing that, ways that don't put yourself in danger."

Makoto looked down at the ground, her hair obscuring her eyes. It was easy to tell that she was scared and frustrated, but Light didn't care. He had almost lost a friend and that was an experience he did not want to have anytime soon.

"I..." Makoto clenched her fists. "I didn't want to be useless..."

Her response caught everyone off guard, especially Light. Ryuk, however, smirked. **"Oho? Someone's having insecurities, aren't we?"**

"And now, I'm going to cause trouble for Sis, too..."

"Sis?" Ann asked.

Light sighed, trying to calm himself down. He couldn't blow up at her anymore than he already had. Besides, it was clear this whole situation was starting to get to her. "Her older sister, Sae Niijima. She's a government official, you could say."

"Sis has been working really hard ever since Dad passed away three years ago," Makoto said miserably. "But, I'm still just a kid. All I am is a burden to her..."

Yusuke's eyes softened. "Was that why you were acting so recklessly?"

"I just wanted to be useful to at least someone..."

"Makoto, what are you saying?" As angry as he was, Light clearly saw something was wrong. His mind raced back to their phone call from last night and how she sounded so troubled. Did something happen between her and Sae? "You aren't useless in the least!"

"It's the truth, though..." Makoto whimpered. "I was suspicious about what Kamoshida was doing, but I couldn't do anything about it. The whole school was covering it up." She shook her head. "No, it isn't that. It's that I didn't do anything. If I just cared enough...!"

Ann looked at Makoto, thinking back to the rumors and whispers she heard back at school about Makoto. How she heard that Makoto knew about what Kamoshida was doing, but didn't do anything because she was desperate for the teachers to give her a recommendation. Was she wrong? Did she judge her without thinking?

"People like me must be what people call 'scum of the earth'."

"...scum wouldn't call themselves that." Ryuji declared, much to their surprise. "Scum are people who don't care what they do. They're typically arrogant assholes like Kamoshida. They refuse to admit that they're scum in the first place, shifting the blame on someone else. So you're not scum, Prez. You're the opposite."

"Ryuji, d-did you just say something wise?!" Mona exclaimed in shock.

Ann stared at the blonde in equal amazement, though a part of her felt infuriated that he stole her thunder after having said what she wanted to say. "Is there a blue moon out right now?"

"It doesn't appear so," Yusuke looked up at the evening sky as literal minded as ever.

Ryuji scowled. "Oh, screw you assholes!"

"You know, after hearing that..." Ren spoke up. "It sounds like she's not so different from us." The group looked at him. "She doesn't have a place either."

Makoto tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"The real question is, where do we go from here?" Light asked. "Kaneshiro has those damned photographs. We pretty much have to listen to what he says, otherwise we're screwed."

"Not quite." Morgana said suddenly as a smile formed across his face. "On the contrary, Light! This is an opportunity!"

"An opportunity?" Light questioned. "What do you mean?"

"Um, Light? Why are you talking to Amamiya-kun's cat?"

Ren caught on to what Morgana was saying, also smiling. "Oh, yeah... Yagami-san did mention something about how banks let somebody in after hours with a 'pass.'"

"Exactly!" Morgana chirped. "And now that we have a customer, we have our ticket in!"

"Bank?" Makoto stared at Ren confusedly. "What are you talking about?"

Light immediately put his foot down. "No, no way. You can't be serious about bringing Makoto into the Palace!"

"It's our only option." Morgana reasoned.

"No way, no how! I refuse to do this. We're not risking her safety like this!"

"Um, I'm sorry. What are you guys talking about?" Makoto was utterly clueless as to what was going on. She had no idea what they were talking about or why Light seemed so upset. What did they mean by a bank?

"She should be fine so long as she stays by our side, Yagami-san." Yusuke tried to persuade the honor student. "We won't let anything happen to her."

Light bit his lower lip. "Even so...!"

 **"You got any better ideas, Light?"** Ryuk snickered.

"Shut it, Ryuk!" Light snapped to the empty space next to him, much to Makoto's growing confusion. Who was he talking to?!

 **"Face it. You know they're right."**

Light scowled. He really didn't like the idea of Makoto going into the Metaverse with them, even if they had Personas and could protect her. His experience in that place was limited so he wasn't fully acclimated to it yet, but even he knew how dangerous it was. Makoto was their best shot at getting inside the bank and taking Kaneshiro's Treasure, but he wasn't about to put her in danger like that.

Not only that, but there was also the truth behind Masahiro Niijima's death to consider. If Makoto discovered what really happened, and she encountered Kaneshiro's Shadow in the Palace... What would happen?

The possibilities filled him with dread.

"Yagami-san." Light looked up. Ren was staring back at him, eyes full of vigor and resolution. "I'm not too happy about this either. But we have to do this. This could be our only chance."

"Even so..."

"We'll protect her, no matter what. Just trust us."

If only it was so easy to take someone at their word. How many times had the police said the same thing to victims of a crime, promising to catch the perpetrator, and failed to uphold that promise? Light wanted to believe the same thing applied here. And yet, oddly, he couldn't do so.

Something deep inside told him to trust Ren.

Light sighed deeply. "...fine."

"W-wait, hold on a second. What's going on right now?" Makoto was growing more and more confused by the second. Just what were they talking about? Was she missing something here?

Ren grinned cheekily. "Don't worry. We'll explain everything in a few minutes." He took out his phone and prepared the Metaverse Navigator.

The infiltration to Kaneshiro's Palace could finally begin!

* * *

 _"Sometimes people don't want to hear the truth because they don't want their illusions destroyed." -Friedrich Nietzsche_

* * *

Here's Your Warning!

The Phantom Thieves have finally found their way into Kaneshiro's Bank! However, Makoto Niijima, who was in the dark about the truth behind the death of Masahiro Niijima, discovers the truth! She now stands before Kaneshiro's Shadow Self, eyes filled with anger. As the Phantom Thieves watch their exchange with dread, Light begins to fear what might happen as an iron mask forms over his childhood friend's face!

The Next Heist: Priestess' Rampage

 _Don't miss it, baby!_

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE** : Special thanks go to Daemon of Wrath, who contributed to this chapter.

Apologies for the severely long update. It was long overdue. However, as I'm sure people will tell me in the reviews, this chapter certainly feels lackluster. Looking it over again, I feel like I'm just unnecessarily padding it or making it longer than it should be, not to mention repeating mindless things. The only real plot development in this chapter, in my opinion, is Light's Confidant amping up as his focus turns to his fanatic supporters. There's also the fact that I'm dragging Kaneshiro's Arc longer than I should be.

I want to hear your guys' thoughts. Should I go back and edit this chapter to make it less of a mess?

And another thing that bothers me is how I handled the whole angle about Soichiro covering up Masahiro's murder. Realistically speaking, if somebody dug deep enough, they'd reveal the truth easily, and given how relentless and invasive the media can be at times, it would be extremely hard to cover up something like that. And unless Soichiro has some shady connections, which he doesn't, there's no way he could have covered up Masahiro's death and hide it from the Niijima family.

I tried going for a dramatic twist, and all I ended up doing is shooting myself in the foot. Not going to lie, kind of pissed at myself.

Going back to Light's Confidant, I am basing it slightly off of Kensuke Hibiki's Character Episode from the video game "The Caligula Effect: Overdose." The first half will focus primarily on Light hunting down and changing the hearts of his fanatic supporters, while the second half will focus on his relationship with a certain character.

Now, in regards to including Royal content in the story... I'm honestly conflicted. On the one hand, I really do love Kasumi and Maruki's characters, and considering the story mainly takes place from Light's point of view, it would be feasible for him to meet Kasumi through Ren. On the other hand, part of me wonders if I'll really be able to include them seamlessly into the story.

One last thing. This will be my last update for the rest of the month. I'll mainly be focusing on school stuff for the rest of the month and well over into next month. However, I do have some news for you all. If you follow the works of one Starlight's Poet, you will be happy to know we, as well as Daemon of Wrath, are working on a brand new story. While I am aware Starlight already has enough stories on his plate, he has assured me he isn't going to be doing like what he did last time and let his story count, bloat and leave many of them forgotten.

Please go easy on him.

* * *

 **REVIEWS** :

hnh058513: Adachi will not be featured in this story in any capacity aside from the cameo he was given.

foxchick1: They probably will, but L's many things. Careful and extremely paranoid are among them. As for Adachi, it was mainly due to lack of concrete evidence and his testimony. Even if he were to blemish some details to make his story sound more believable, no one will believe he threw people into another world inside a TV. Except maybe Shido and Akechi, but that's whole 'nother bag of worms I prefer stays closed.

kerrowe: To be honest, it's kind of difficult trying to balance L's segments with Light's, and how to not make it seem as though L's going too fast in his suspicions against the Phantom Thieves.

SkiesEagle: I really don't think so. Light and Futaba's problems are really two different. And I take it you're not a very big L fan?

RoboVolcano4: He is a modern day Sherlock. He'd figure out something was up with Ren's case just by looking at how odd it is. Even Ohya herself in the Devil Confidant noted how odd the whole thing was since the neighbors' testimonies didn't line up with what Ren was accused of doing.

LunagaleMaster: I'm glad you are enjoying the story so far. I hope I can continue living up to your expectations.

Missingnoleader: To be honest, I'm not a big fan of the childhood romance route. And pairings are the least of my concerns, so...yeah. No Light x Makoto.

Maelaeran: They will cross paths. Eventually.

C. Rinkuki Takato: Spoilers, sorry.

Ravenella: I'll see what I can do. And to be honest, the Futaba vs Matt hacking war never occurred to me. ...aaaaaaaaaaand now I can totally see how awesome that would be.


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